/ J^^J^cvyr^'f - 



TOPOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL 

SKETCHES 



OF THE 



TOWN OF NORTHBOROUGH, 



WITH THE 



EARLY HISTORY OF 



iiAm^®®m®w@si5 



IN THE 



<JKommoniDcalti) of Jllassatljusrtts, 



FURNISHED FOR THE 



WORCESTER MAGAZINE. 



BY REV. JOSEPH AI.I.EN, 

PASTOR OP THE CHURCH IN NORTHBOROUGH, AND MEMBER OF TflE 
"WORCESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 



WORCESTER: 

PUBLISHED BY W. LINCOLN & C. C. BALDWIN. 

CHARLES GRIFFIN PRINTER. 

182ji. 



2.6164 







HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 



NoRTHBOROUGH, though One of the youngest and smallest incor- 
rated towns in the County of Worcester, was, for nearly 50 years, 
ior to the date of its incorporation, a part of Westborough ; first 
, . part of an undivided whole, and then as a separate precinct or 
Irish. This carries us back to the year 1717, before which time, 
V^estborough itself, including Northborough, belonged to the large 
nd ancient town of Marlborough. Northborough then, as being 
ncluded in Marlborough, may lay claim to considerable antiquity. 
Marlborough was incorporated in 1660, only about 30 years after 
the commencement of the Massachusetts Colony. The stream of 
emigration may easily be traced back from this, which was for ma- 
ny years a frontier settlement, bordering upon the unexplored wil- 
derness, to the fountain head. The settlement in Marlborough was 
commenced four years before the date of its incorporation, by emi- 
grants from Sudbury, which was older by about 20 years than 
Marlborough, having been incorporated in 1638. The next step 
carries us back to Concord, which was purchased of the natives 
and incorporated in 1635.* 

The next step brings us to VVatertown, where a settlement was 
made in 1630, the same year that Boston began to be built. It was 
in this year that a large number of emigrants arrived from England, 
which served greatly to enlarge and strengthen the Colony, then 
in its infancy. The oldest town in the Massachusetts Colony is Sa- 
lem, where a settlement was commenced in 1628, eight years after 
the landing of our fathers at Plymouth. 

*1. Masa. Hist. Col. Vol, I. 
1 



4 HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 

Thus we see that within the short space of 30 years from the 
first planting of this Colony, the wilderness had been explored, and 
a permanent settlement effected, by our enterprising forefathers, 
in the ancient town of Marlborough, which then included Westbo- 
rough, Southborough, and Northborough, now within the limits of 
Worcester County. 

It will not therefore be improper to prefix to the history of this 
town some account of the first settlement and early history of the 
Plantation at Marlborough. ' 

The following petition was presented to the General Court 
in May, 1656. 

"To the Hon. Governor, Dep. Governor, Magistrates and Depu- 
ties of the General Court now assembled in Boston." 

" TJie humble petition of several of the Inhabitants of Sudbu- 
ry, whose names are hereunder written, humbly sheweth ; that 
whereas your petitioners have lived divers years in Sudbury, and 
God hath beene pleased to increase our children, which are now 
divers of them grown to man's estate, and wee, many of us, grown 
into years, so as that wee should bee glad to see them settled be- 
fore the Lord take us away from hence, as also God having given 
us some considerable quantity of cattle, so that wee are so strcigh- 
tened that wee cannot so comfortably subsist as could bee deS'^^^d ; 
and some of us having taken some pains to view the country Jee 
have found a place which lyeth westward, about eight miles "aom 
Sudbury, which wee conceive might bee comfortable for our sub- 
sistence : 

"It is therefore the humble request of your Petitioners to this 
Hon'd Court, that you would bee pleased to grant unto us ( ' ) 
eight miles square, or so much land as may containe to eight miltis 
square, for to make a plantation. 

"If it shall please this Hon'd Court to grant our petition, it is 
farther than the request of your petitioners to this Hon'd Cou^' 
that you will bee pleased to appoint Mr. Thomas Danforth or M 
ten"! Fisher to layout the bounds of the Plantation; ana wfcv. 
shall satisfy those whom this Hon'd Court shall please to employ in 
it. So apprehending this weighty occasion, wee shall no farther 
trouble this Hon'd Court, but shall ever pray for your happinesse." 
Edmond Rice, Thomas King, William Ward, 

John How,* John Bent, Sen'r. John Majmard, 

* According to a tradition handed down in the family, the first English 
person that cam" to reside in Marlborough, was John How, son of a How !)f 
Watertown, supposed to be John How, Esq. who came from Warwickshirfr 'n 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. & 

John Woods, Edward Rice, John Ruddocke, 

Richard Newton, Peter Bent, Henry Rice, 

Thomas Goodenow. 
"That this is a true copy of the original petition presented to 
the General Court, May, 1656, left on file and thereto compared, is 
Attested, per Edward Rawson, Sec^yy 
To this petition the following answer was made. 
At a General Court held in Boston, May 14, 1736. 

"In answer to the petition of the aforesaid inhabitants of Sudbury, 
the Court judgeth it meete to grant them a proportion of land of 
six miles, or otherwise, in some convenient form equivalent there- 
unto, at the discretion of the committee in the place desired, pro- 
vided it hinder no former grant, that there bee a Towne settled 
with twent}'^ or more families within three years, so as an able min- 
istry may bee there maintained. And it is ordered that Mr. Ed- 
ward Jackson, Capt. Eleazer Luslier, Ephrairo Child, with Mr. 
Thomas Danforth, or Liesten"' Fisher, shall bee, and hereby are ap- 
pointed aft a committee to lay out the bounds thereof, and make 
return to the next Court of Election, or else the grant to bee void. 
"T'^is is a true copy taken out of the Court's Books of Records, 
as J* 'tests Edward Rawson, Seer'?/." 

Er ..id, and who, as appears from a record ia the possession of Mr. Adam 
■{ Sudbury, also a descendant of John, was himself the son of John 
of llodinhull, and connected with the family of Lord Charles How, 
t^ of Lancaster, in the reiecn of Charles I. 

Mr. How came from Watertown to Marlborough, built -a cabin a little to 
the east of the Indian Plantin"^ field, where his descendants lived for 
many generations. By his prudence and kindness, he gained the good will 
and confidence of his savage neighbors, who accordingly made him the um- 
pire in all their differences. 

I'he following is related as one of the verdicts of this second Solomon. 
T "o Indians, whose corn fields were contiguous, disputed about the posses- 
sion of a pumpkin, which grew on a vine, that had transgressed the limits of 
the field ill which it was planted. The vine was planted in one field; the 
pumpkin greiv in the other. The dispute grew warm, and might have led to 
serious consequences, had it not occurred to them to refer the matter in de- 
*■ e to the arbitration of the white man, their neighbor. Mr. How is accord- 
i'yysent for, who after having given a patient hearing to both parties, directs 
^\.:m .' Iiriog him a knife, with which he divides the pumpkin into two equal 
parts, giving half to each. Both parties extol the equity of the judge, and 
readily acquiesce in the decision, pleased, no doubt, quite as much with the 
manner in which the thing was done, as in admiration of the justice of 
the deed. 

The descendants of John How are very numerous in Marlborough, and in 
the towns in the vicinity. There are 28 of the name of How on the list of 
voters, in Marlborough, for the present year. 

Col. Thomas How was a son of the above, who, for many years, was one 
of the leading men in the town. John How died sometime before 1686, as 
a^ ears by a de^d of his son Josiah to Thomas, of that date. Rev. Perley 
V y, of Surry, N. H. was a descendant ef John, and of Col. Thomas How. 



■6 HISTORY OF nORTHBOROUGH. 

The Plantation was accordingly soon commenced in the neigh- 
borhood of Ockoocangansett, (the Indian name of the hill back of 
the old Meeting House in Marlborough,) and thence extending to 
Whipsuppenicke, (a hill about a mile southeasterly of the former,) 
and the neighboring parts. By this name, Whipsuppenicke, or 
Whipsufferadge, as it was sometimes written, the English Planta- 
tion of Marlborough was known, till its incorporation, in 1660. 

Of the Indian Plantation at Marlborough, called, from the hill 
abovenamed, Ockoocangansett, some account will be given here- 
after. 

A plan of the English plantation was made in May, 1667, by 
Samuel Andrews, surveyor, which was approved by the Deputies, 
17th 3mo. 1667. Wm. Torrey, Clerk. 

Consented to by the Magistrates, Edward Rawson, Sec''y. 

This plan was made on parchment on a scale of two inches to 
a mile, and is now in the hands of Mr. Silas Gates of Marlborough. 
The plantation contained by admeasurement 29,419 acres, which, 
with the 6000 acres reserved for the Indians, of which we shall 
presently speak, amounted to 35,419 acres. The Indian planting 
field, on Ockoocangansett, the hill back of where the old meet- 
ing house stood, was included within the bounds of the English 
plantation, and formed a square containing about two hundred 
acres. From the northwestern angle of this field the boundary line 
between the Indian plantation on the east, and the English plan- 
tation on the west, extends three miles north, seven degrees 
west, to a point a little beyond the river Assabett*. From this 
point the boundary line runs seven miles west, twenty five de- 
grees south, (cutting off what is now the northwest angle of 
Northborough, and which forms what are called the New Grants.) 
Thence five miles south-southeast, to the south west extremity of 
the plantation ; thence two miles and three-fourths of a mile east, 
nine degrees north, leading into Cedar swamp; thence southeast, 
two hundred and fifty six rods on Sudbury River; thence two miles 
and three quarters, due east; thence two miles and one hundred 
and twenty rods northeast, thirteen degrees north ; thence three 

*This name is written and spoken variously by different persons. In the 
report of the Canal Commissioners presented at the recent session of tlie Le- 
gislature of this State, it is written Ehebeth., and is supposed to be a corrup- 
tion of £fea6e//t. By some aa;ed persons, it is called Elsebeth; in Whitney's 
Hist, ^ssabtl. In the earliest records of Marlborough, however, it is almost 
uniformly written with a final h, Jlsabeth or Assabeth. If either of the two 
last letters are omitted, it should probably be the t. In which case the name 
would be Jlssabth. 



HISTORY OF NORTHEOROUGH. 7 

hundred and forty eight rods north, seventeen degrees east; thence 
one mile and three fourths of a mile due north, which reaches to 
the Indian line ; then three miles, due west, on this line, which 
completes the boundaries of the English plantation. 

It would seem, from the above account, that the proprietors ex- 
ceeded the limits of their grant by more than 6000 acres. We are 
not to conclude, however, that they acted frau(hilently in this bu- 
siness ; since it appears that the draft of the phintation was present- 
ed to the General Court for their acceptance, and approved by the 
Deputies and Magistrates. 

The form of the plantation was evidently regulated by a regard 
to the surface and soil. Thus the boundary lines on the north and 
west included all the meadows on the Assabeth, west of the Indian 
plantation, and the extensive intervale, including several large 
meadows and cedar swamps, which runs through nearly the whcle 
extent of iVorthborough and Westborough. The boundaries on the 
south and east were also fixed with the same sagacity and foresight. 

It is said that the meadows, at the first settlement of our country, 
produced much larger crops of grass, of a much better quality, than 
at the present day. This circumstance, together with the difficul- 
ty of subduing the uplands, will account tor the eagerness manifest- 
ed by the first settlers to possess a good supply of meadow grounds.* 

The first meeting of tlie proprietors of the English plantation, 
was holden 25ih of the Vllth month (September) 1656.t 

In 1657, the following eight names are found among the propri- 
etors, in addition to the thirteen original petitioners above men- 
tioned, making up the number of twenty one. 

* It appears from the early records of Marlborough, that for many years 
after its incorporation, the town was greatly infested by wolves and rattle- 
snakes. 

In a single year, (1683) tlie town paid a bounty for no fewer than twenty 
thret violves. In 1680, the following record was made. " Voted, to raise 
thirteen men to go out to cil rallelsnakts^ eight to Cold Harbour-ward, and so 
to the other place they cal boston, (now the northwestern corner of West- 
borough) and five to Stoney Brook-ward, to the places thereabout. John 
Brigham to cal out seven with him to the first, and Joseph INt-wton four with 
him, to the latter, and they were to have two shillings apiece per day, paid 
out of a town rates." 

f'Sept. 25th., 1656. Upon amitinge of the petitioners apoynted to take 
sum course to lay out the plantation granted to several inhabitants of Sudbu- 
ry, it was ordered that all that doe take up lottes in that plantation shall pay 
all publique charges that shall arise upon that plantation, according to their 
house lottea and to be resident there in two years or set in a man that the 
town shall aprove one, or else too loose their lotts ; but if God shall take 
away any man by death, he have liberty to give his lott to whom he will." 



8 HISTORy OF NORTHBOROUGH. 

Williiim Kcrly, Samnei Rice, Peter King, 

John Rediat, John John?on, Christopher Banister. 

Solomon Johnson, Thomas Rice, 

" At a meeting of the proprietors of this plantation the 26th of 
Xber, (December) 1659. 

" It is ordered that all such as lay clayme to any interest in this 
new plantation at Whipsufferadge, (by the Indians called Whipsup- 
penicke) are to perfect their house lots by the 25th of March next 
jnsueing, or else to loose all their interest in the aforesaid planta- 
tion." 

Agreeably to this order, thirty eight house lots, including one 
for a minister, and one for a smith, were set off, and granted to the 
proprietors, the 26th of Nov. 1660. 

Besides the persons already mentioned, the fqllowiog had house 
lots assigned to them, at this date. 

Joseph Rice, Richard Ward, John Barrett, 

John How, Jr. Benjamin Rice, Jos. Holmes, 

Henry Kerley, John Bellows, Samuel How, 

Richard Barns, Abraham How, Henry Axtell, 

Andrew Belcher, Tho. Goodenow, Jr. John Newton, 

Obediah Ward, John Rutter, 

These thirty eight house lots, amounting in all to 992^ acres 
consisted of some of the best and most commodious tracts of land in 
Marlborough. They contained from fifty to fifteen acres each, ac- 
cording to the interest of the several proprietors in tho. plantation- 
The principal part of the land, which was not taken up for house 
lots, with the exception of Chauncey, (now Westboroiigh and North- 
borough,) was left common (called Cow Commons) to be disposed of 
by subsequent grants. 

The following boundaries were assigned to the Cow Commons in 
1662. 

" From John Alcocks line (now known by the name of the 
Farm) to Stoney Brook ; thence up the brook to Crane Meadow, 
and so along to Stirrup Meadow Brook, and to be extended as the 
Brooke runs to Assibathe River, and down the said river till it 
comes to the Indian line. This is, and shall remain a perpetual 
Cow Comaion for the use of this town, never to bee altered with- 
oVit the consent of all the inhabitants and proprietors thereof at a 
full meeting ; excepting four score acres of upland this town hath 
reserved within the aforesaid tract of land to accommodate some 
such desirable persons vvithall as need may require, opportunity 
present, and the town accept." 



HISTORY OV NORTIlBOROVaU, 8 

A vote was passed at a meeting of the proprietors ^n 1705, to 
divide the Cow Commons among the original proprietors and such 
as had acquired rights in the phuilation, in proportion to the tirst 
grants. 

So early as 1660, it appears that measures had been adopted by 
the proprietors of Marlborough, for the maintenance of public wor- 
ship ; and that Mr. William Brimsmead, afterwards ordained as 
their pastor, was employed as a preacher. 

In the following year, they voted to build a house for their 
minister; and, in 1662, the frame of a house, with the house lot on 
which it stood, were granted to VVm. Brimsmead, Minister.* 

In 1662, a rate was made of 12 pence per acre upon all house 
lots for building a Meeting House ; and again, in 1664, of 3i pence 
per acre for finishing the house. This house, which was after- 
wards burnt by the Indians, stood on the old common, within the 
limits of the Indian planting tield, which, Hutchinson says, "caused 
great disputes and discouragements."! 

It appears from the following record, that the land on which 
the Meeting House was erected was afterwards purchased of an 
Indian, whose title to the land was probably disputed by his breth- 
ren of the Indian Plantation. 

" 1663, April 4. Anamaks, an Indian of Whipsuppenicke, for 
divers reasons and considerations, sold to John Ruddock and John 
How, for the use of the town of Marlborough, the land that the 
Meeting House now stands on — also the land for the highway on 
the fore side of said Meeting House, and so upon a square of ten 
feet, round about the said Meeting House." This land, with the 
addition of half an acio purchased in 1688. of Daniel, Samuel, and 
Nathaniel Gookin, sons of r.Iaj. Gen. Daniel Gookin, of Cambridge, 
constitutes what is now the old common, the whole of which did 

* The house built for Mr. Brimsmead stood on the lot of land west of Ock- 
oocangansett, not far from the spot on which the old Meeting House was af- 
terwards erected. There is a tradition that Mr. Brimsmead's house was set 
on fire by the Indians in King Philip's war, and that the flames communicated 
with the Meeting House, which was the occasion of its being burnt. 

It may be interesting to the antiquary to learn the form and dimensions of 
a dwelling house erected more than 160 years since. It was 36 ft. by 18 ft. 
and 12^ ft. high between the joints. It had four windows in front, and two 
at the west end. It had besides two gables in front, 10 ft. wide and 8 ft. 
square, (projecting 8 ft.) with two small windows on the front side of the ga- 
bles. It was built by contract for £15, to be paid in corn ; one third wheat, 
one third rye, and one third Indian corn. Wheat at 4*. 6rf. rye at 4*. and 
Indian corn at 3*. per bushel. For the payment of this sum, a rate was made 
of 7.;^ pence per acre upon all house lots in the Plantation. 

tllist. Col. I. p. 167. 



10 HISTORY OV NORTHBOROUGH. 

not come into the possession of the town VU 1706, when the half 
acre above mentioned was purcliased by Abraham Williams and 
Joseph Rice, "lor the use of the town, to set a Meeting House on." 

Till 1675, nothing serious appears to have occurred to inter- 
rupt the prosperity of the inhabitants of this flourishing settlement. 
But their prosperity received a severe check in the war which 
now ensued. After the destruction of Lancaster, (Feb. 10, 1676, 
O. S.) a party of the enemy directed their course through Marlbo- 
rough, where they committed some depredations, on their way to 
Sudbury and Medfield, in the latter of which places nearly 50 dwel- 
ling houses were burnt, and 15 persons lost their lives. 

A second attack was made upon the English settlement at Marl- 
borough, on the 20th of the following month, which, though no 
lives were lost, was attended with more disastrous consequences. 
It was Lord's day; and the inhabitants were assembled for public 
worship, when the preacher, the Rev. Mr. Brimsmead, was inter- 
rupted in the midst of his discourse by the appalling cry, that the 
Indians were advancing upon them. The Assembly instantly dis- 
persed ; and, with a single exception,* succeeded in reaching the 
neighboring garrison house in safety before the enemy came up. 
But though they defended themselves, they could afford no protection 
to their property, much of which was wasted or destroyed. Their 
Meeting House and many of their dwelling houses were burned to 
the ground ; their fruit trees hacked and pilled ; their cattle killed 
or maimed, so that marks of their ravages were visible for many 
years. 

The alarm occasioned by this attack, and the defenceless state 
to which the inhabitants were reduced, led them to retire from the 
place, and to seek shelter in a more populous neighborhood. Short- 
ly after the close of the war, which lasted little more than a year, 
they returned to their farms, and were permitted for many years 
to cultivate them in peace.t 

* The person to whom allusion is here made was Moses Newton, grand- 
father of the late Dear. Paul Newton, of this town. Being (htained behind 
the rest in the benevolent attempt to rescue an aged and infirm female, who 
would otherwise have been exposed to certain destruction, he received a ball 
in his elbow, which deprived him in a measure of the use of his arm ever af- 
ter. Solomon Nev/ton, a j^randson of the above, is now living:, (132G) aged 
92 years, with his son, ^Villard Newton, Esq. m bouthborough, on the farm 
taken up by his great-grand-father, Richard Newton, nearly 170 years ago. 
Richard came from England, and was one of the 13 original proprietors of 
Marlborough. Richard had three sons, Moses, Ezekiel and John. Moses 
was the father of eight sons and two daughters, viz. Moses, Jonathan, James, 
Josiah, David, Edward, Hannah, Mercy, Jacob, and Ebenezer. 

t There are no records in the Proprietors'' Books of what took place be- 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 1 1 

Soon after their return, they proceeded to the erection of anew 
Meeting House, which, like the former, was thatched with straw, 
or rather a species of tall grass, taken from the meadow since cal- 
led, from that circumstance. Thatch Meadow. This building, which 
was left in an unfinished state, lasted but a few years. In 1680, an 
unsuccessful attempt was made to enlarge and repair it; and at 
length, in 1688, a larger and more commodious house was erected, 
near the site of the former, which lasted more than one hundred 
and twenty years, having stood till the new Meeting House in the 
east Parish was erected, in 1809.* 

Prior to the year 1684, it appears that nothing effectual had 
been done towards purchasing a title to the land " cleare of the In- 
dians, who were continually making demands upon the towne." The 
Plantation was commenced under the auspices of the Gen. Court ; 
and, as 6000 acres, bordering upon this Plantation, had been re- 
served by order of the Court, for the use of the Indians, nothing 
further seems to have been thought necessary for many years, 
either by the English or the Indians, to give the former a perfect 
title to their lands. It was not indeed till the Indian Plantation was 
broken up, and most of the inhabitants dispersed, that the Indians 
of Natick and Wamesit, (now a part of Tewksbury,) who belong- 
ed to the same tribe with the Marlborough Indians, put in their 
claims to a right in the soil which had been cultivated by the En- 
glish now for nearly 30 years. 

At length, in the winter of 1684, a Committee of three persons 

tween May, 1675, and July, 1677. It appears that the iahabitants had re- 
turned some time before the latter date. It appears from the Records of the 
General Court, that preparations for defence against the Indians had beea 
made as early as 1670. '■'• Ordered, that the Surveyor General shall forth- 
with deliver unto Maj. Ilathorn, or to Lieut. Samuel Ward, 60 great shot, fit 
for the guns in the Fort at Marlborough. A Fort was maintained there through 
the war. 

* The old Meeting House was valued, in 1689, at £10 ; the pulpit at £4, 
>'whioh were improved in the new Meeting House for carrying on the finishing 
of that." — It would appear, from the following vote, which passed witU great 
unanimity at a meeting of the proprietors, May 21, 1088, that there had been 
some controversy respecting the location of the new Meeting House, and that 
it was even then in contemplation to divide the town into two parishes. 

'' Voted, That if the westerly part of the town shall see cause afterwards 
to build another Meeting House, and find themselves able so to do, and main- 
lain a minister; thea the division to be made by a line at the can-way at 
Stirrup Brook, where Conecticot way now goeth over, (now within the litnits 
of Northborough,) and so to run a parallel line with the west line of the 
bounds of the town." It would stem highly probable, from this vote, that 
tlicre were inhabitants then living west of the line thus defined, and which 
was afterwards (1717) mad<; the boundary line between Marlborough ?iad 
U'e.-tborous:!:. 



12 



HISTOny OF NORTHBOROUGH. 



was appointed by the town to treat with the Indians ; who, April 
17th and 18th, with the help of Maj. Peter Bulkley and Capt. 
Thomas Hincksman, made a bargain that the town should pay them 
£31 for a deed in full. The town accepted the conditions, and 
agreed to bring in the money, (assessed upon the proprietors, 
now 50 in number,) to the Meeting House, on the 20th of May next, 
\vhich was accordingly done, and the deed signed by the Indians 
presented to the town, who directed that it should be kept by Abra- 
ham VVilliams, as also the plat of the plantation made by Samuel 
Andrews, of which an account has already been given. 

A Copy of the Indian Deed of the Plantation of Marlborough. 
"To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come. Greet- 
ing, 

KNOW YEE, That we, the Indian inhabitants of the Planta- 
tions called Natick and Wamesit," (now part of Tewksbury,) "in the 
Massachusetts Colonic, in New England, namely," (the names of 
the grantees are written below, with the omission of Andrew Pilim 
or Pitimee, and John Wamesqut, and the addition of Edmund Aso- 
wonit, making the whole number 25,) "for and in consideration of 
the sum of thirty one pounds of lawful money of New England, 
which said sum, wee the said" (here the names are repeated,) "do 
acknowledge ourselves to have received of Abraham Williams and 
Joseph Rice, both of the town of Marlborough, in the County of 
Middlesex, in New England, who, in the said payment, not only for 
themselves, but also as agents in behalf of all the rest of their fel- 
low purchasers, belonging to the said town ©f Marlborough, and of 
the said sum of thirty one pounds, and of every part and parcel 
thereof, wee the said" (names repeated) "for ourselves, and for our 
heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, do freely, clearly, and 
wholly, exonerate, acquit, and discharge the said Abraham Wil- 
liams and Joseph Rice and all their said fellow purchasers belong- 
ing to the said town of Marlborough, and every of them, and their 
heirs, executors, administrators, and every of them forever ; have 
given, granted, bargained, sold, and by these presents, do give, 
grant, bargain, sell, and confirm, unto the said Abraham Williams 
and Joseph Rice, and unto all their fellow purchasers, belonging to 
the said Town of Marlborough, and unto all and every of their sev- 
eral heirs and assigns forever, all that tract of land, which is con- 
tained within the bounds of the Town, Township, or Plantation, 
called Marlborough aforesaid, as the said bounds were laid out, 
plotted and represented by Mr. Samuel Andrews, of Cambridge, un-v 



HISTORY OV KORTHBOROUUH. IS 

to the Court of the Massachusetts Colonic aforesaid, and by the 
said Court accepted and recorded, that is to say all Uplands, 
Meadows, Swamps, Woods, Timber, Fountains, Brooks, Rivers. 
Ponds, and Herbage, within the said bounds of the said Town, 
Township, or Plantation of Marlborough, together with all and sin- 
gular the appurtenances thereof, and all manner of profits, gains, 
and advantages, arising upon, or from, the said tract of land, which 
the said Abraham Williams, or Joseph Rice, or all, or any of their 
fellow purchasers, belonging to the town of Marlborough afore- 
said, at any time formerly had, or now have, or hereafter at any 
time may, or shall have ; (except a certain farm, some years ago 
laid out unto Mr. John Alcock, deceased, which lyeth within the 
bounds of said town or township of Marlburrougl), and is by us, the 
said" [names repeated] "utterly and totally exempted and excluded 
from this present bargain.) To have and to hold all the foremeu- 
tioned tract of land" (here the description is repeated) "to their own 
proper use and improvement, as is above declared, (except the 
farm before excepted,) to themselves, the said Abraham Williams 
and Joseph Rice, and to all their said fellow purchasers, belonging 
to the said Marlburrough, and unto all and several their heirs and as- 
signs forever, in a good and sure estate of inheritance, in fee sim- 
ple, without any claims or demands, any obstruction, eviction, ex* 
pulsion, or molestation whatsoever, from us the said" (names re- 
peated,) "or from the heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns of 
us the said Indians, or either of us, or from any other person or 
persons whatsoever, acting by, from, or under us or them, or any 
of them, our said heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns. Fur- 
thermore, wee, the said" (names repeated) "do covenant and grant, 
vvith, and too, the said Abraham Williams and Joseph Rice, and all 
their said fellow purchasers, belonging to said Marlburrough, that 
wee, the above named Indians, have been, until the conveyance 
and assurance made by these presents, the true and proper owners 
of all the said tract of land, lying within the bounds of the planta- 
tion or township of Marlburrough, together with all and singular 
the appurtenances thereof, in our own right, and to our own use, 
in a good absolute and firm estate of inheritance, in fee simple, and 
have lull power, good right, and lawful authority to grant, bar- 
gain, sell, conyeigh, and assure, the said tract of land, and every 
part and parcel thereof, with all and singular the appurtenances of 
the same, as is before, in these presents, mentioned ; and weo, the 
said" (names repeated) "do warrant and assure that all the tract of 



14 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 



land, and all and every the appurtenances thereof, by those pres- 
ents, alienated and sold, have been and are at the time of signing: 
and sealing of this Deed of sale, utterly and totally free, and clear 
from any former bargains, sales, gifts, grants, leases, mortgages, 
judgments, executions, extents, and incumbrances whatsoever ; and 
wee, the said" (names repeated) "for ourselves, and our heirs, exec- 
utors, administrators, and assigns, do, and shall, from time to time, 
and at all times hereafter, (as occasion shall be offered) confirm, 
defend, and make good, unto all intents and purposes, this whole 
bargain and sale aforesaid, and unto all and several their heirs and 
assigns forever. In witness of all which premises, wee, the said" 
(names repeated) "have hereunto set our hands and heals, this 
twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord Christ, one thousand 
six hundred, eighty and four, Annoq. Regni Regis Caroli Secundi 
XXXVl. 



Andrew Pilim (Pitimee) 

tRltomey to old F. fVaban. 
signum 
John X Nasquanet 

signum 
William x! Wononatomog 

signum 
John fx^ Speen 
signum 
Lawrence ;><; Nowsawane 

signum 
Jacob X Ponopohquin 

his mark 
Jeremy X Sosoohquoh 

his mark 
Samuel ^ William 

sigaum 
Nathaniel ><- Quonkatohn 
James Speen 

signum 
John ><j Wamesqut 

signum 
Job X Pohpono 

his mark 
Benjamin x; Tray 

his mark 
Sosowun ^ noo 

signum 
James ^ Wiser 
Simon Betogkom 

"June nth and 12th, 1684. 



his mark 
Great x John 
Thomas Waban 
his mark 
Abraham ><j Speen 

his mark 
Great x James 

signUm 

Jacob X Petowat 

signum 
Jehoja X kin 

signum 
Peter X Ephraim 
.Attorney for Jno. Awoosamug, 
signum 
John X Awoosamug 

signum 

Thorn. X Dublet 

signum 
Benjamin B Boho. 



Signed, sealed, and delivered, in pre- 
sence of us witnesses, 

Simon Crosby 
John Curtis 
his mark 
Henry x Rice 
John Magus ) 

Daniel Takawompait ) 

At a Court held at Natick among 
the Indians, there appeared in Court, and before me, all the seal- 
ers and subscribers to this deed, being twenty five (there are twen- 



Indians. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 15 

ly six signatures) persons in number, and freely acknowledged this 
rvriting to be their act and deed." 

"As Attests, Daniel Gookin, Sen''r Assistant.'''' 
"This Deed entered in the Register at Cambridge. Lib, 9. page 
293—299. 7. 2. 85. By Tho : Danforth, i?." 

It will be seen from the above signatures, that, besides the two 
Indian witnesses, John Magus and Daniel Takawompait, four oth- 
ers, viz. Andrew Pitimee, James Speen, Simon Betogkom, and 
Thomas Waban, wrote their own names. Daniel Takawompait, 
or Tokkohwompait, was a pastor of the church in Natick, in 1698, 
ordained by the Rev. and holy man of God, John Eliot, He is 
said to have been a person of great knowledge.* Thomas Waban 
was probably a son of old Waban, the first Indian convert in Mas- 
sachusetts, and one who supported a consistent christian character 
till his death, which happened in 1674, at the age of 70.t Maj. 
Gen. Daniel Gookin, betore whom the deed was acknowledged, 
was the friend and fellow laborer of Eliot, an enlightened, virtu- 
ous, and benevolent magistrate. lie belonged to Cambridge, 
•where he died in 1G87, aged 75. 

Two others, whose names are affixed to this instrument, viz. 
John Speen, and John Awoosamug, are mentioned in the account 
of Dochester,| The former of whom, it appears, was for some 
time a teacher, till he became addicted to intemperance, when he 
was laid aside. The latter, though he had been propounded to 
join the church, had been excluded on account of his quick and pas- 
sionate temper, but discovered marks of penitence during his last 
sickness, which satisfied the scruples of his brethren. 

The Indian Plantation of Ockoocangansett,§ or Marlborough. 
Some time previous to the commencement of the English Plan- 
tation, as appears from the following order of the General Court, 
the Indians had a grant of a township in that place. 

" In reference to the case between Mr. Eliot, in behalf of the 
Indians of Oguonikongquamesit, and Sudbury men: the Courte find- 
ing that the Indians had a graunt of a township in the place before 
* See 1 Hist. Col, X, 134. 1 1 Hist. Col. V. 263. :{: 1 Hist. Col, IX. 198. 

i 1 have given the name as it is uniformly written in the earliest records 
of Marlborough. Hutchinson, quoting from Eliot, who visited the place in 
1670, writes it Ogguonikongquamesut ; Gookin, who wrote in 1674, Okomma- 
kamesit. The word has since been corrupted into Agoganggomisset. This 
name, it should be considered, was at first appropriated to the Indian Planta- 
tion, while the English Plantation, before its incorporation in 1660, was called 
"VVhipsuppenicke. Both plantations were, however, in 1674, called by the 
rame name by Daniel Gookin. 



16 



UlSTORV OF HUKTJIBOllOUGH. 



the English, the Courte determines and orders, that Mr. Edward 
Jackson, Mr. Tho. Danforth, Mr. Ephraim Child and Capt. Lusher,* 
or any three of them, as a committee, shall with the first conven- 
ient opportunity, if it may be before winter, lay out a township in 
the said place, of 6000 acres, to the Indians in which, at least, shall 
bee three or four hundred acres of meadow ; and in case there be 
enough left for a convenient township for the Sudbury men, to lay 
it out to them; the grant of Mr. Alcock's (842 acres granted in 1655) 
confirmed by the last Court out of both excepted and reserved, and 
the Indians to have the Hill on which they are, and the rest of the 
land to be laid out adjoining to it as may be convenient to both 
plantations."! 

The Hill mentioned in this order, had been improved for many 
years by the Indians, probably long before the arrival of the Eng- 
lish, as a planting field. It was afterwards, in 1677, as appears 
from the following instrument, conveyed to Daniel Gookin, Esq. 

*'■ Know all men by these presents that we old Nequain, Robin 
called old Robin, Benjamin Wuttanamit, James called Great James, 
John Nasquamit, Sarah the widow of Peter Nasquament, in behalf 
6f her child Moses David, next heir to my father and to my uncle 
Josiah Harding, deceased, without issue, Assoask the widow of Jo- 
siah Nowell, in behalf of my children, Sarah Conomog, sole exex- 
utrix to my late husband, Conomog, Elizabeth, the only daughter 
and heir of Solomon, deceased," [Solomon had been the teacher of 
the Indians of Marlborough,] "James Spene, in behalf of my wife, 
being all of us, true proprietors, possessors and improvers of the 
Indian lands called Whipsufferage, alias Okonkonomesit, adjoining 
to Marlborough in the colony of Massachusetts in New England 
for divers considerations us thereunto moving, especially the love 
and duty we owe to our honored magistrate, Daniel Gookin, of 
Cambridge, Esq. who hath been a ruler to us above 20 years, do 
hereby freely and absolutely give, grant and confirm, unto him the 
said Daniel Gookin, Esq. and his heirs forever, one parcel of land 
heretofore broken up, and being planted by us and our predeces- 
sors, called by the name of Okonkonomesit Hill, situate, lying and 
being on the south side of our township and plantation, near Marl- 
borough, containing about one hundred acres, more or less, (also 
ten acres in Fort Meadow, and ten in Long Meadow,) with free 

* These three, Uanforth, Child, and Lusher, were respectively deputies 
'0 the General Court from Cambridge, Watertovvo, and Uediiam, in 1657. 

t Records o.'"the General Conrt for the ytar 1658-9. 



HISTORY OF NORTHDOROUGH. 17 

liberty of commonage for wood, timber, feeding of bis cattle, upon 
any common land, within our township or plantation." 

"Second day of May, 1677. 

Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of us, 

John Eliot, Waban X his mark, 

Noah VViswell, Piamboo X his mark, 

Joshua Woods, Joseph Wheeler. 

Acknowledged before me, 

Thomas Danforth, Assistant. 
Entered and recorded at the Registry at Cambridge.*" 

It is thus described by Gookin in 1674. " In this Indian Plan- 
tation there is a piece of fertile land, containing above 150 acres, 
upon which the Indians have, not long since, lived, and j)lanted 
several apple trees thereupon, which bear abundance of fruit; 
but now the Indians are removed from it about a mile. This 
tract of land doth so embosom itself into the English town, that it 
is encompassed about with it, except one w;>y ; and upon the edge 
of this land the English have placed their Meeting House." It was 
a favorite design of the benevolent Gookin, which he proposed in 
his Historical Collections, " as an expedient for civilizing the In- 
dians, and propagating the Gospel among them," to have this tract 
of land, which, with certain meadows and woodland, he says, "is well 
worth £200 in money, set apart for an Indian free school ; and 
there to build a convenient house for a school master and his fami- 
ly, and under the same roof may be a room for a school." This, 
with the necessary out buildings, he computes will not cost more 
than £200 in money ; and the use of the land, he thinks, will be an 
adequate compensation for the services of the school master. 

"Moreover, it is very probable," he adds, "that the English 
people of Marlborough will gladly and readily send their children 
to the same school, and pay the school master for them, which will 
better his maintenance ; for they have no school in that place at 
the present." 

We learn further from this account that the number of families 
in Marlborough, at this period, did not amount to fifty, every vil- 
lage containing that number being required by the laws to provide 
a school "to teach the English tongue, and to write." "These 

* May 18, 1682. Waban, Piamboo. Great James Thomas Tray, and 
John VVincols, proprietors of the Indian Plantation of WhipsufTeradge, grant- 
ed to Samuel Gookin, of Cambridge, liberty to erect a Saw Mill upon any 
brook or run of water within the said Plantation, with land i)ot esceedinj 
three acre?, use of timber. &r. for 30 yean?- 



18 HiSTORV OF NORTHBOROUGH. 

people of Marlborough," says he, somewhat indignantly, "wanting 
a few of fifty families, do take that low advantage to ease their 
purses of this common charge." 

What reception this proposal met with, we are not informed. 
It was most certainly an expedient that promised the happiest con- 
sequences, and worthy of the liberal and philanthropic mind of its 
author. How close is the resemblance between this plan, conceiv- 
ed more than one hundred and tifty years since, and that of the 
Indian schools recently established at Brainerd, Eliot, Mayhew, 
and other places in the United States ?* 

The people of Marlborough, notwithstanding the severity of 
Gookin's censure, have not been behind other towns in New En- 
gland in their attention to schools. Owing to the troubles which 
ensued, soon after the date of Gookin's Historical Collections, they 
felt themselves unable to meet the expense of a public school for 
several following 3'ears. At length, however, in 1698, Benjamin 
Franklinj was employed as a school master in Marlborough, from 
the first of November, 1696, to the last of March, 1697, at eight 
shillings per week ; " he engaging carefully to teach all such youth 
as com or are sent to him, to read English once a day, att least, or 
more, if need require ; also to learn to write and cast accounts." 
The school was kept in Isaac Wood's house, which was then un- 
occupied. 

* 1 Hist. Col. I. p. 220. 

tThis person was probably an uncle of Doctor Benjamin Franklin. la 

the first volume of Franklin's Works, edited by his grandson, William Tem- 
ple. Franklin, page 6, is the following- account of the person referred to above. 
" My grandfather had four sons, who g^rew up, viz: Thomas, John, Benjamin 
and Josiah. Benjamin was bred a silk dyer, serving an apprenticeship in Lon- 
don. He was an ingenious man. I remember, when 1 was a boy, he came 
to my father's, in Boston, and resided in the house with us for several years. 
There was always a particular aftection between my father and him, and I 
"was his godson. He lived to a great age. He left behind him two quarto 
volumes of manuscript of his own poetry, consisting of fugitive pieces addres- 
sed to his friends. He had invented a shorthand of his own, which he taught 
rue, but not having practiced it, I have now forgotten it. He was very pious, 
and an assiduous attendant at the sermons of the best preachers, which he 
reduced to writing according to his method, and had thus collected several 
volumes of them. He was also a good deal of a politician ; too much so, per- 
haps, for his station. There fell lately into my possession, in London, a col- 
lection he made of all the principal political pamphlets relating to public af- 
fairs, from the year 1C41 to 1717; many of the volumes are wanting, as ap- 
pears, by their numbering; but there still remains eight volumes in folio, and 
twenty in quarto and octavo. A dealer in old books had met with them, and 
knowing me by nan\e, having bought books of him, he brought them to me. 
It would appear that my uncle must have left them here, when be went to 
America, which was about fifty years aj;o. I found several of his notes in the 
margins. His grandson, Samuel FrankKn, is still living in Boston." 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. ItJ 

Jan. 10, 1698-9. The town voted to build a school house. Af- 
ter this, Mr. Jonathan Johnson was emploj'ed as a school master 
for many years in succession. 

The Indian Plantation was laid out agreeably to the following report 
of the Commissioners appointed as aforesaid. 

"Whipsuppenicke the 19th of june, 1659. 
"The Committee appointed hy the Gen. Court to lay out a Plan- 
tation for the Indians of 6000 acres at the above named place, hav- 
ing- given Mr. Eliot* a meeting and duly weighed all his exceptions 
in the behdlf of the Indians; tirst, what hath beene formerly acted 
and returned to the Gen. Court, do judge meete in way of comply- 
ance, that the bounds of the Indian Plantation bee enlarged unto 
the most westerly part of the fence, that now standeth on the 
west side of the Hill or planting field called Ockoocangansett, and 
from thence to bee extended on a direct north line untill they have 
their full quantity of 6000 acres: the bounds of their Plantation in 
all other respects, wee y^^^^e meete that they stand as in the form 
returned ; and that their full complement of meadow by Court 
Grant, may stand and bee exactly measured out by an artist within 
the limits of the aforesaid lines, when the Indians, or any in their 
behalf, are willing to be at the charges thereof: provided alvvaies 
that the Indi. ns n)ay have noe power to make sal« thereof, of all 
or any part of their abovesaid lands, otherwise than by the consent 
of the lioii'i Geu' Court; or when any shall be made or happen, 
the Plantation of English there seated may have the first tender 
of it from the Court ; which caution wee the rather insert, because 
not only a considerabiti part of the nearest and best planting land 
is heereby taken axvay from the English (as we are informed) but 
the nearest and best part of their meadow, by estimation about an 
hundred arres in one place, that this north line doth take away, 
which tendeth much to the detrimenting of the English Plantation, 
especially if the lands slionid bee impropriated to any other use 
than the Indians proposed, that is to s:>y, for an Indian Plantation, 
or for the accommodating their Plantation, they should bee depriv- 
ed thereof" 

Signed by 

F,LFAZFM LUSHER, ) 
EIJWAIUJ JAviKSON, ' CommisHoners 
EP H R A 1 M C m L ! ), ( ^o"^""*^"'"^"- 

THOMAS DANFORTH,) 

* Tlie celebrated John Eliot, minister of Iloxbury, commonly called the 
Apostle of the ludiaus. 

3 



20 HISTORY OF NORTHBOKOUGH. 

The account given of this Plantation by Capt. afterwards, Maj. 
Gen. Gonkin, of Cambridge, who visited it in 1674, more than one 
hundred and fifty years since, will be interesting to those who have 
not already seen it. 

" Okommakamesit, alias Marlborough, is situated about twelve 
miles north northeast from Hassanamesitt, (Grafton) about thirty 
miles from Boston westerly. 

"This village contains about ten families, and consequently about 
fifty souls. The quantity of land appertaining to it is six thousand 
acres. It is much of it good lar.d, and yield(;th plenty of corn, be- 
ing well husbanded. It is sufficiently stored with meadow, and is 
well wooded and watered, it hath several good orchards upon it, 
planted by the Indians: and is in itself a very good plantation. 
This town doth join so near to the English of Marlborough, that it 
(we might apply to it what) was spoken of David in type and our 
Lord Jesus Christ, the antitype, "Under his shadow ye shall re- 
joice :" but the Indians here do not much rejoice under the English- 
men's shadow ; who do so overtop them in their number of people, 
stocks of cattle, &:c. that the Indians do not greatly flourish, or de- 
light in their station at present. 

"Their ruler here was Onomog, who is lately deceased, about 
two months since ; which is a great blow to that place. He was a 
pious and discreet man, and Ihe very soul as it were of that place. 
Their teacher's name is **** Here they observe the same decorum 
for religion and civil order, as is done in other towns. They have 
a constable and other officers, as the rest have. The Lord sancti- 
fy the present affliction they are under by reason of their bereave- 
ments ; and raise up others, and give thsm grace to promote relig- 
ion and good order among them." 

From this account, which is given by an eye witness, it is pretty 
evident that a spirit of jealousy and envy against their more pros- 
perous neighbors of the English Plantation, was even then rankling 
in their hearts : and we are not much surprised to learn that, in the 
calamitous war which broke out in the following year between the 
English and Indians, known by the name of King Philip's war, some 
of these half civilized sons of the forest were found among the en- 
emy, at the place of their general rendezvous, in the western part 
of Worcester County, a few days j)revious to their desolating march 

*Hutchinson says his name was Solomon, judg^ed to be a serious and sound 
Christian, p. 167. 



HISTORY OF KORTHBOROUGW. 21 

throug'h the country, in which Lancaster, and many other towns, 
experienced the horrors ot savage warfare.* 

* Jamea Quanipaug, who was sent out with another Indian by the name 
of Job to reconnoitre the enemy, then in the VVestfrn part of this County, in 
the beginning of 1616, passed through Hassanamesit (Grafton) thence to 
Manexit, (a part of W oodstock) where he was taken by seven hidians and 
carried to Meuimesseg, (New iJraintree) where he found many of the enemy, 
and among them "■ the Marlborough hidians who pretended that they had been 
fetched away by the other Indians." Some of them professed to be willing to 
return. Philip is said at this time to have been about half a day's journey on 
the other side of Fort Orania, (Albany) and the Hadley Indians on this side. 
They were then preparing for that memorable expedition, in which the towns 
of Jjancaster, Groton, Marlborough, Sudbury, and Medfield, were destroyed. 

Tht- letter o( .fames tiuanipaug bears date 24th : 11 mo: 1675. (Jan. 
24, 1670.) It was only 10 days alter this, viz. Feb. l(>th O. S. that they 
made a descent upon Ijancaster, with 1500 warriors, and butchered or carried 
into captivity nearly all the inhabitants of that flourishing village. 

Whether the Marlborough hidians joined in this expedition, or left the 
enemy and returned to their homes, 1 have not been able after dihgent en- 
quiry to ascertain. The little that I have been able to collect, though cor- 
roborated by circumstantial evidence, rests mainly on tradition. 

Though it appt-ars from the testimony of James Quanipaug that the 
Marlborough Indians were with Philip's men at Menimesseg, it is by no 
means certain that all who belonged to the Plantation had gone over to the 
enemy. Tradition says, that those who remained at home were suspected of 
treachery, and that representations to that effect were made to the governor, 
(Leverelt) who dispatched a company of soldiers under the command of 
Capt. Moseiy, to convey them to Boston. They reached Marlborough, it is 
said, in the night ; and early in the morning, before the Indians had any sus- 
picion of tlieir design, surrounded the fort to which they were accustomed to 
repair at night, sitzt-d on their arms, and obliged them to surrender. They 
attempted no resistance, and it is bj' no means certain that they entertained 
any hostile designs against the English. 'Phey were, however, taken into the 
custody of the soldiers ; and, having their hands fastened behind their backs, 
and then being connected together by means of a cart rope, they were in this 
manner driven down to Boston, whence it is probable, that they were convey- 
ed, in company with the Indians of iS'atick and other places, to one of the is- 
lands in the harbor, and kept in durance till the cIosh of the war. 

This tradition is corroborated by the following circumstances. 

hi the account of Uaniil Gookin, in 1 Hist. Col. K 228, it is said that 
" some instances of perfidy in Indians, \vho had professed themselves friendly, 
excited suspicions agai.ist all tlieir tribes. The General Court of Massachu- 
setts passed several severe laws against them ; and the Indians of Natick and 
other places, who had subjected themselves to the English government, were 
hurried down to Long Island (Hutchinson says Ueer Island,) in the harbor 
of Boston, where they remained all winter, and endured inexpressible hard- 
ships." We learn further from Hutchinson, that the Indians of Punkapog 
alone (now Sloughton) were exempted from this severity of treatment. The 
ground of the harsh measures adopted in reference to the Indians in the 
neighborhood of Boston, was, the perfidious conduct of the Springfield Indiana, 
in assisting in the destruction of Westfield, Hadley, and other places, in Octo- 
ber 1675. "This instance of perfidy," says Hutchinson, ''seems to have in- 
creased the jealousies and suspicions, which had before begun of the Indians 
round Boston, viz. Punkapog, Matick, &c." 

At the session, in October, the General Court ordered " that no person 
shall entertain, own, or countenance any Indian under the penalty of being a 
betrayer of this government." 

*' That a guard be set at the entrance of the town of Boston, a id that no 



22 



HISTORY OF NORTHEOROUGH. 



This war, if calamitous to the English, proved fatal to nearly 
all the Indian Planlalions in New EngUind. Among the rest the 

Indian be suffered to enter upon any pretence without a guard ot two mus- 
keteer?, and not to lodg-e in town." 

" 'I'hat any person may apprc hend an Indian, finding; him in town, or ap- 
proachins: the town, and that none be siiff; red to come in by water." 

To this we may add, that Capt. Mosely's characttr was such as to render 
it highly probable that he perfor-.ied the part which tradition has assigned to 
biin. Hutchinson says, "he had been an old privateerer at Jamaica, proba- 
bly of such as were called Buccaniers." He commanded a torr pany of 110 
Toluntfers, in the war with King I'hilip, and was one of the most resolute 
and courageous captains of his day. It was he who, on Sept. 1, 1075, went 
out to the rescue oi Capt. Lathrop, who with only 80 men was attacked by 
a body of 7 or 8 hundred Indians at Deertield, when all Capt. L's company, 
with the exception of seven' or eight, were cut off. He also led the van in 
the terrible assault made upon the Indians, Dec. 19, in the Narragansett 
country, in which six English captains were killed, and nearly 200 men kil- 
led and wounded. 

I hope 1 shall be pardoned for adding to this already extended note, the 
following particulars respecting the remains of the Marlborough Indians. 

After the close of the war, some of the Indians of JViarlboroi^gh appear to 
have returned to their former place of abode.' But their plantation was brok- 
en up, and they were forced to find shelter and subsistence as they were able. 

A considerable number of the Indians who remained in, or returned to, 
Marlborough, after the war, lived in the westerly part of the town, on the 
farm of Thomas Brigham, one of the oldest proprietors, the common ancestor 
of all the Brighams in this town, as well as of many of that uaine in \'arlbo- 
rough, Westborough, and other places. The late Judge Brigham, of West- 
borough, and Rev. Benjamin Brigham, of Fitzwilliam, were great-grandsons 
of Thomas. 

Among those who returned was David, alias David Munnauaw. who had 
joined Philip, and as he afierwards confessed, assisted in the dtstrurtion of 
Medfield. 1 his treacherous Indian had, it is said, a slit thumb, which cir- 
cumstance leil to his conviction. He had been absent Jrom IViarl borough 
several months, but after his return would give no account of hims If whith- 
er he had he( n, or how he had employed himself in the mean time. At 
length, however, an inhabitant of Medtitld. one whom Muuuanaw had wound- 
ed, being ai Marlborough, immediately n cognized him by the mark on his 
thumb, and charged him with his treachery. At first he denied the charge ; 
but, finding that the proof against him could not be evaded, heal length own- 
ed that he had been led away l>y Philip, and had assi^ted iu the burning of 
Medfield. 

He was, however, suffered to'ive without molestation. His wigwam stood 
on the borders of the beauliful lake, near the public house kept by Mr. Silas 
Gates, where he lived with his family many years, till the infirmities of old 
age came upon him. He was accustomed to repair to the neighboring or- 
chards for the purpose of obtaining fruit, 'there was one tree of the fruit 
of which he was particularly fond, and which was accordingly his favorite 
plpce of resort. In this spot the old warrior expired. Old David Munnanaw 
died a little more than 80 years since, having lived, as vjas supposed, nearly 
or quite a century of years. Capt. Timothy Brigham, now in his 9lst y-ar. 
Well recollects having seen him, when he was a child of about 9 or lU years 
old, at his grandfather's, Jonathan Brighanrs, of Marlborough. According to 
this account, Munuaoaw must have bei^n a young man, 25 or 30 ytars of age, 
at the time of Philip's war. Cap*. B. represents him as bearing the marks 
of extreme old age, his flesh wasted, and his skin shrivelled. He understood 
that he had the reputation of having been treacherous to the English. Abim- 
ilech David, supposed to be a soa of the former, was a tall, stout, well pro- 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 23 

Plantation of Marlborough, was completely broken up and soon 
passed into other hands. On the 15th of July 1684, a fevv weeks 
subsequent to the date of the Indian deed of the English Plantation, 
the Indian lands were formally transferred by deed to John Brig- 
ham ot Marlborough and his fellow purchasers ;* and in October, 
1686, the aforesaid John Brigh;im who was a note<l surveyor and 
speculator in lands, was appointed " to lay out 30 acres to each of 
the proprietors in some of the best of the land lying as convenient 
as may be to the town of Marlborough." 

June the 5th 1700, the inhabitants of Marlborough petitioned 
the General Court, that the proprietors of the Indian lands might 
be annexed to the said town, which petition was granted, and Marl- 
borough accordingly received an accession of 6000 acres, a large 
proportion of which is good land. 

After the close of Philip's war the inhabitants of Marlborougli 
do not appear to have been seriously molested by the Indians till 
after the commencement of the eighteenth century. 

In the mean time the settlement had extended itself towards the 
borders of the town, so that some time previous to the close of the 

por'ioned Indian, is wt-11 remembered by many persons now living;. Abimi- 
lech had several daughters, among- whom were. Sue, l.'eborah, Esther, Pa- 
tience, Nabby, and l]etty. They livtrd ni a wretched hovel or wi-wam, un- 
der the large oak now standing, near the dwelling house of Mr. VVarrt n iirio- 
hani. 'I hey had bece-rae dissolute in their habits, and were exceedingly 
troublei^ome to their neighbors ; and they are remembered with very little 
respect or aflection. 

The Indian burying ground, where the last remnants of the race were in- 
terred, is situated a few rods from the south road, ha iin<,' from Marlborough 
to Northborough, near the residence of Widow Holyoke, in a field belonging 
to the old Brigham farm. It has been etijoined on the family in each suc- 
ceeding generatioti, not to trespass on this repository of the dead ; an injunc- 
tion whi'.h has biiht-rto been duly regarded. The burying sround is about 
five rods in length, and somewhat more than one rod in hrtadth, covered with 
wild grass and loose stones. A ft^w years since, as 1 have been informed, as 
many as twenty or thirty graves were plainly distinguishable, though they 
have now almost wholly disappeared. Two ol the graves were situated with- 
out the bounds of tlie rest, and in a direction perpendicular to them ; the for- 
mer being from north to south, the later from east to W' st Many aged per- 
sons can remember when the last dei^raded remnants of the race, once iidiab- 
itiiig the soil we occupy, enclosed in rude eoffinp of rungb boards, hastily put 
together, and without any religious ceremony, were conveyed to this reposi- 
torj' of the dead. 

* This deed appears to have been obtained by unfair means, as in the 
following September, a committee appointed b" thf General i ourt to exaijj- 
ine into the grounds o) complaint made by the Indians against the English of 
Marlborough, reported in f^ivor of the Indians, and '-the Court ordered and de- 
clared that the Indian deed of sale to the inhaliitant? of Marlhorouirh of 5800 
acres of land (the whole of the Indian Plantation with the exception of the 
Indian Planting field) bearing date July 15, 1684, is illegal and consequently 
null and void.'^ 



24 HISTORY OF NOKTHBOROUGH. 

seventeenth century, some of the hinds now included within thf- 
limits of W.istborough and Northborough, then called Chauncey, 
or Cliauncey Village, had been laid out for farms. 

Indeed so early as 1660, the very year that Marlborough was 
incorporated, several tracts of meadow, lying witliin the limits of 
this town, were surveyed and the names given them which they 
now bear.* And, in 1662, three large meadows. Cold Harbour 
Meadow, Middle Meadow, and Chauncey Meadow, the first of which 
and part of the second, lie within the limits of this town, were or- 
dered to be surveyed, and each to be laid out in thirty four lots, 
which was probably the number of proprietors at that time.t 

The first grants of land lying within the limits of what is now 
Westborough and Northborough, with the exception of the mead- 
ows above named, bear the date of 1672. From this time, and be- 
fore the close of the century, many of the proprietors of Marlbo- 
rough had taiien up their 2nd, 3d, and 4th divisions in the wester- 
ly part of the town, several of them west of the river Assabeth. 

It is asserted by Rev. Mr. Whitney, in his history of this town, 
that there were settlers in this part of Marlborough before there 
were any in what is now Westborough. Tl>e first settler according 
to tradition was John Brigham, from Sudbury, a noted land survey- 

* Three Corner Meadow, Stirrup Meadow, Crane Meadow, Cedar Mead- 
ow, Sic, 

t The oriijin of these names according to tradition was as follows : — Cold 
Harbour Meadow, in the western part of this town, so called from the cir- 
cumstance o( a traveller, having lost his way, bein;^ compelled to remain 
through a cold winter's ni^'ht in a stack of hay in that place, and on the fol- 
lowing marniag, having made his way through the wilderness to the habita- 
tions of man, at;d beinu; asked where he lodged during the night, replied, "• In 
Cold Harbour." Middle Meadow, on th- borders of Westborough and North- 
borough, so called probably from its situation in reference to the two others. 

Chauncey Meadow, in Westborough, so caib-d probably for the same 
reason that the western part of Marlborough was called Chauncey. The ori- 
gin of the name was known only by tradition in the Rev. Mr. Parkman's day, 
who was ordained in Westborough, Oct. 28! h, 1724, and who gave the fol- 
lowing- account. " It is said that in early times one Mr. Chauncey was lost 
in one of the swamps here, and from hence this part of the town had its 
name." 1 find from the records of the General Court for the year 1665, that 
Mr. Chauncey had taken up lands within tlie limits of Marlborough, and that 
the proprietors of Marlborough were ordered to remunerate him for his exjten- 
ces incurred in laying out his farm, " and he hath liberty to lay out the same 
in any land not formerly granted ny this Court." Quere. — May not this have 
be'en President Chauncey, of Harvard College, to whom, an account of the 
smallness of his salary, repeated grants of laud were made about this time by 
the General Court? Dr. Chauncey, of Boston, the great-grandson of Pres- 
ident Chauncey, says that the latter was the first, and the common ancestor 
of all of that name in this place. If so, the Mr. C. above mentioned must have 
been President Chauncey or one of his sons. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 25 

«r, undoubtedly the same person who has been mentioned in our ac- 
count of the Indian Plantation. It appears trom the Proprietors' 
records that a grant of land was made to John Brigham, in 1672, 
"in the place formerly desired, that is, on Licor Meadow plain." 
This land was probably part of the Coram Farm, so called, the 
principal part of which lay on the northern side of the old Marlbo- 
rough line,* and now constitutes, in whole, or in part, the farms of 
Nahum Fay, Esq. John Green, Asa Fay, Lewis Fay, and Stephen 
Williams, Esq. The lands of Mr. Brigham extended to the saw 
mill of Mr. Lowell Holbrook, near which he erected a small cabin, 
in which he lived several year?, remote from any human habitation, 
till, at length, the fear of the Savages compelled him to retreat to a 
place of greater security; and, it is said, that only a lew days after 
his removal, a party of Indians came to the place and burned his 
house to the ground. 

The first Saw Mill erected in this town was built by the above 
named Brigham, and stood on the same spot, which is now occupied 
lor the same purpose.! 

In the same year (1672) a grant of land was made to Samuel 
Goodenow, grandfather of the late Asa Goodenow, and to Thomas 
Bri"-ham, the person mentioned in the last note, "by Double Pond 
Meadow, on both sides said meadow. "| The lands taken up on the 
account of the above named Samuel Goodenow, constituted three 

*The old Marlborough line, was a straight line of seven miles in extent, 
running through the northwest angle of this town, and cutting off more than 
2000 acres, which constitute what is called the new grants, of which an ac- 
count will be given hereafter. 

t John Brigham was one orthree brothers (John, Samuel, and Thomas) 
who came from Sudbury to Marlborough sometime previous to 1G72. 7'heir 
father Mas from England, married a Mercie Hurd also from England, settled 
in Sudbury, where he died probably in middle life, as his widow had buried 
a second husband by the name of Hunt, before her sons removed to Marlbo- 
rough. Samuel Brigham, was the grand-father of the late Dr. Samuel Brig- 
ham, of Marlborough : Thomas was an ancestor of the late Judge Brigham, of 
VVestborough ; and John, who was sometimes called Doctor Brigham, was the 
father of the Mrs. Mary Fay, wife of Gershom Fay, of whose remarkable es- 
cape from the Indiana we shall presently give an account. John Brigham 
was one of the selectmen of Marlborough in 1679, and in the wintf^r of 1C89 
90, representative to the Convention then sitting in Boston, The Coram Farm, 
was granted him, it is said, by the General (Jourt to compensate him for ser- 
vices as a surveyor of lands. Mr. Brigham liv^d to be quite aged, and used 
'to come to reside with his daughter Mrs. Fay, in this town. 

tQuere. May not this meadow be th*« one which lies between Great 
and Little Chaunct^y ponds, which, as they are connected with each otlier 
by a water communication, might have been called at first Double Pond ? 
David Brigham, son of Thomas, lived on the borders of Great Chauncey, on 
the farm riow in the possession of Lovelt Peters, Esq. 



26 HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 

of the oldest settlements in this town, on one of which was the prin- 
cipal garrison house, U'-icd for nnany years as a defence against the 
Indians, and which stood on the farm of !Mr. Gill Bartlett, then own- 
ed by Samuel Goodenow, Jr. The other two, were in the vicinity 
of this, and constitute in whole, or in part, the farms of Deac. Jonas 
Bartlett and Mr. Stephen How. 

In the same year, a grant of land was made to John Rediet, 
"west of Assabeth River, northwest side of the Chauncey Great 
Pond, bounded on the e-dSt by a Spruce Swamp :" another tract on 
"the Nepmuck road, that formerly led toward Coneticoat."* The 
land of John Rediet, who was one of the first proprietors and great- 
est land holders of Marlborough, came into the possession of Na- 
thaniel Oaks, who married his daughter, and who lived on the farm 
owned in succession by Rev. John Martyn and Rev. Peter Whitney, 
and now in the possession of Mr. Jacob Pierce.j Capt. James Ea- 
ger was another of the first settlers of this town. He lived near the 
centre of the town on the farm now in ihe possession of Mr. John 
Fisk. His house was once used for a garrison, and was for many 
years occupied as a tavern, being the fiist that was opened in the 
place.J 

* "The Nepmuck Road, that formprly led toward Coneticoat," wa? the 
old Conneeticut road that passed Ihroujrh the southeast part ol thi^ town, 
over Rock rtill, east of Great and Little t'baunce)' ponds, into Wf sthoroiji.'h 
and thence through Hassanamesit or Grafton. 1. Hist. Col. 1. p. 185 and 
192. 

t Nathaniel Oaks came from F.no;]and, niarri»^d Mehitahfl, daug-hter of 
.Tohn Rediet, who dii(i Nov. S.Oth, ITO^J. without childr n. His sec-ond wife 
M:>ry, was a (iausfhter of Adnm Molloway. by whom he had the following 
children, viz. — Nathaniel, who lived at Boiton. William, luirned to d>ath at 
Shrewsbury in the house of Capt. Ki yes. Hannah, married to Gersham Fay, 
Jr. died March 8, 1R06, wanting but a frw months o! a century. She was 
the mother of the late Thaddeus Fay, who died, July 22, 1822, aged 91 years. 
Mary, married to Daniel Maynard, Marlborough. Ann, married to David 
Maynard, Westborough. John, built the house near Col. (Vawford's, owned 
by Joel Gasset. Jonathan, removed to Harvard. George, lived near the 
house of Mr i^uther Hav.se, and built a saw mill on the river Assabeth. 

:{: Capt. James Eager was a native of Marlborough, born in 1685, died 
1755, aged 70. He was one of the leading men of the place at the time that 
Northborough became a separate precinct.. It is said that his honse was the 
lirst that was built on the new Connecticut road, between the house of Samu- 
el Goodenow and the town of Worcester. It is but little more than a hund- 
red years, since there was not a human habitation on the road from Marlbo- 
rough to Brookfield, west of the Goodenow farm, in the eastern part of this 
town, with the exception of a few.Jog houses in that part of Worcester called 
Boggachoag. James F.ager, Jr. a son of the .ibove, was married to Mariam, 
dauiihter of Joseph Wheeler. Their daughter Zilpeh, was married to Mich- 
ael, son of Rev. John Martyn through whom there are stveial .persons in this 
town who trace their desceut from the first minister of the place. 



HISTORY OV NORTHBOROUOH. 27 

Sovcral other persons settled in what is now Marlborough, in 
the early part of the last century.* 

Soon atter the commencement of the ei<2^hteenth century, the 
English settlers of Marlborough were again exposed to the horrors 
of Indian vvartare. It will be diflicult for us, who are permitted to 
dwell in security under the shelter of the domestic roof, to form 
an adequate idea of the perilous condition of our forefathers, at 
this gloomy period. "We have, indeed, heard within our ears, 
and our fathers have told" us the story of their dangers and suffer- 
ings " in the waste and howling wilderness." But how diflicult to 
enter into the feelings of men, who were in constant peril for their 
lives; who, like the children of Israel in rebuilding the walls of 
Jerusalem, repaired to their work with weapons in their hands, 
and who were liable to be waked from their midnight slumbers by 
the savage yells of a pitiless foe? In many instances were they 

*Simeon Howard was the father of Cornet Simeon Howarf'., and of Jona- 
than Howard, whose son, Gidton Howard, removed to Worthington, in this 
state, where his descendants, it is suppo?ed, still live. 

Simon Howard, Senior, Irom Concord, was another of the first settlers. 
His house stood near tlie hearse house, on the land of Mr. Asa Fay. 

It is not known whether the Simeon Howard mentioned above, was re- 
lated to Simeon Howard, D. D. late pastor of the west church in Boston. 

Adam Holloway, from Concord, (died in 1733, aged 80,) and his soa 
Lieut. Wm. Holloway, (died Jan. G, 1760, aged 71,) settled on the farm now 
owned by Stephen Williams, Esq. 

liieut. Wm. Hodoway, married IVTary, (died March 9, 1788, aged 94,) a 
daughter of Simeon Howard, Senior, by whom he had two sons and four 
daughters. The sons died young. Of the daughters, Mary, married Jonathan 
Bartlftt, died L)ec. 22, 1821, aged 95. — Hannah, married Capt. James Stone, 
of Western. — Betty, married tJaniel Wheeler, of Hardwick. — Jemima, mar- 
ried John Taylor, who died at St. Albans, V't. 

John Taylor, was the fatht-r of Col. Holloway Taylor now of St. Albans 
and of John Taylor, Esq an Attorney at law, at Northampton. 

Gershom Fay, Senior, was one of the first settlers of this town. He was 
the son of John Fay, of vlarlborough, married Mary, a daughter of John 
Brigham, died in 1720. He lived at fiist in the easterly part of the town, af- 
terwards, built a house on the Coram Farm, near the bend ot the road, betweea 
the dwelling house of Capt. Hastings, and that of Stephen Williams, Esq. 
His children were Gershom, Vlary, Susanna, Sarah, Silas, 't'imothy, and Paul. 

Thomas Ward, from Marlborough, was thi' first settler on the farm now 
in the possession of Asaph Rice ; and Deac. Isaac Tomhlia on the farm of the 
late Deac. Isaac Uavis. 

Hezekiah Tomblin, lived first on Tomblin Hill, so called ; Ephraim Bee- 
man, on the farm of Samuel Dalrymple, 

Joseph VVheeler. (Jied in 1747, aged 5G,) lived on the southern declivity 
of Ball's Hill, so called. 

Ephraim All^n, from lloxbury, purchased of an Eleazer How, a few acres 
of land, with a grist mill erected thereon, the site of the present mill, and 
Cotton .Factory. This was the first, aud for many years the ou\y grist mill, 
in this town. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUQH. 



compelled to desert tlieir farms, leavinor their land? nntilled, while 
old and j'oung', the strong aud the teeMe, flocked to the trail forti- 
fications, denominated garrisons, as their on\y means of safety. 

These were usually nothing more than common dwelling hous- 
es, surrounded by palisades, and furnished with a supply of tire 
arms and ammunition. In the jear 1711, there were no fewer 
than twenty six garrison houses within the limits of Marlborough, 
to each of which were assigned, on an average, live or six fami- 
lies, the whole number of families being one hundred and thirty 
seven.* 

*" Marlborough, December, 11, 1711. 

" These several persons are allowed by the Captain General!. 

" The persons assigned to each particular Garrison ar^ as followeth : 
Ordered, by us the Subscribers, by the direction of an acf of the Generall 
Court, entitled an act for the belter security and defence of the fronteers. 



Capt. Howe's Garisox. 
Samuel Stevens 
James How 
..Jonathan How 
Samuel Stow, Senior 
Thomas Stow 
Jonathan Morse. 

Mr. Breck's* Garison. 

Capt. Kerly's Garisow. 

Nathaniel Joslin 
Joseph Maynard 
Deacon Woods 
Nathaniel Johnson 
Thomas Amsden 
Simon Gates 
Joseph Johnson. 

Capt. Brigham's Garison. 
Peter Plimpton 
Benjamin Mixer 

Isaac Amsdrn's Garisow. 
Thomas Newton 
Sergeant Mainard 
James Woods 
Adam Martia 
Is. Tempels 
Deacon Newtoa 
John 4msden. 



Lieut. Williams' Garison. 
Thomas Bemaa 
Peter Bent 
Richard Barns 
Edward Barns 

Ensign How's Garison. 
Ensign Bouker 
Joseph Wait 
David Church 
Benjamin Rice 
Peter Rice 
Jacob Rice 
Joseph Rice. 

Samuel Morril's Garison. 
Sfisr^ant Barret 
John Barns 
Benjamin Baylis 
Joseph Ward 
Joshua Rice 
Thomas Martin 
Samuel Bush. 

Thoimas Brigham's Garison. 
Jonathan Brigham 
Oliver Ward 
Increas Ward. 

John How's Garison. 
Zac. Eager 
Abraham Eager 
Daniel Johnson 
Samuel Wbeelock 
Ohadiah Ward 
Thomas Axttl. 



Is. How's Garison. 
Moses Newtoa 
David Fay 
John N( wton 
"Widdow Johnson 
Moses Newton, Jr. 
James Kady. 

* This undoubtedly was the Rev. Robert Breck,the second Minister of 
Marlborough. 



Samuel Goodenow's Garison. 
Nathaniel Oakes 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 



29 



For several of the preceding' years, the inhabitant?, especially 
such as lived in the borders of" the town, had been kept in a state 
of constant anxiety and alarm, in consequence of the hostile atti- 
tude of the Indians. 

August 8th, 1704, a party of Indians, eight or ten in num- 
ber, rushed suddenly from the woods, and fell upon a number 



Jonathan Farbush 
Gershom Fay. 

Lieut. How's Garisojv. 
Thomas Ward 
Edward Rice 

jN'athav Brigham's Garison. 

Joseph Stratten 
Henry Bartlett 
tllicksander Steward. 

Samuel Ward Senior's Garison. 
William Ward 
Widdow iiaunah Ward 
Jonathan Johnson, Senior 
Caleb llice. 

John Mathew's Garison. 
William Johnson 
Samuel Ward. 

Daniel Rice's Garison. 
Widdow Sarah Tayler 
Suply Weeks 
Elyazer Taylyer. 

Samcel Forbcsh's Garison. 
James Bradish 
Thomas Forbush 
James Glesson. 

Ediwond Rice's Garison. 
David Brigham 
Isaac Tomblin 
David Maynard. 

Thomas Rice's Garison, 
John Pratt 
Charles Rice. 

Thomas FIapgood's Garison. 
John Forbush 



John Wheeler 
Josiah How ''" 

B Curly (Kerly) Senior 

Jamps Curly. 

Simon Mainard's Garison. 
Adam HoUoway 
Benjamin Whitney 
Joseph Newton 
John Keyes 
Abrell Bush. 

Mill Garison. 
Thomas Barret 
John Banister. 

John Newton Jr's Garison. 
Eliazer Bellows 
John Bellows 
James Eager 
James Newton 
Benjamin Newtoa 
Ephraim Newtoa 
John Woods 
Abraham Newton. 

Jonathan Newton's Garjson. 
Is. Woods 
Thomas Witherby 
Is. Amsden 
Moses Leuard 
Roger Bruce. 

Joseph Morse's Garison 
Thomas Biglo 
Samuel Biglo 
Samuel Mors 
John Biglo 
John Sherman 
Daniel Harinffton. 



THOMAS HOW 
SAMUEL BRIGHAM 
ISAAC AMSDEN 
ELEAZER HOW 
DANIEL HOW 
JOHN BOUKER 
JONATHAN JOHNSON 
NATHANIEL JOSLIN 
PETER RICE 
JOHN MAINARD 
JOHN BARRETT 



. Committee. 



30 mSTORY OF nORTHBOROUGH. 

of the inhabitants of what is now Westboroug^h, while at work in 
the field ; killed Nahor, a son of Mr. Edmund Rice, on the spot, 
seized and carried into captivity two other sons, Silas and Timo- 
thy ; also Ashur and Adonijah, two sons of Mr. Thomas Rice. 
Ashur was redeemed by his father, and returned in about four years. 
He afterwards settled in Spencer. Adonijah remained in Canada, 
cultivated a farm in the vicinity of Montreal. His Indian name was 
Asaunaugooton. The other two lived among the Indians, married 
Indian wives, acquired their habits, and lost all knowledge of' the 
English language. The puritanical names of Silas and Timothy 
were changed into the heathenish, but not unmusical ones of Too- 
kanowras and Oughtsorongoughton. The latter is said to have 
been the third of the six chiefs of the Cagnawaga tribe, and the 
one who made the speech to Gen. Gage, in behalf of his tribe, 
soon at>er the reduction of Montreal. This chief, in the year 1740, 
thirty six years after his captivity, visited his relations in Westbo- 
rough, and retained, it is said, a distinct recollection of the circum- 
stances of his captivity, and of several aged persons then living. 
Mr. Seth Rice, father of the late Deac. Seth Rice, and who died in 
1796. aged 91, was a brother, and Thankful, wife of the Uite Mr. 
Josiah Rice, was a sister, of the above named Silas and Timothy. 

In the preceding month, (July) two of the inliabitants of Marl- 
borough, viz. Abraham How and Benjamin Hutcbins, were slain by 
the Indians at Lancaster. 

On the 16th of October, 1705, Mr. John Biglow, of Marlborough, 
being then at Lancaster, at the garrison house ot Mr. Thomas Saw- 
yer, was, with Mr. Sawyer and his son Elias, taken by the Indians, 
and conveyed to Canada. They obtained their release in the fol- 
lowing manner : Both of them were ingenious mechanics, one, 
(Sawyer) a blacksmith, the other, (Biglow) a carpenter. While 
they were at Montreal, ihey proposed to the French Governor, who 
resided in that city, that, in case he would procure their ransom, 
they would erect for him a saw mill, there being none at that time 
in all Canada. The offer was readily accepted ; they fultilled their 
engagement, and, alter some delays, were permitted to return to 
their friends, with whom they lived to a good old age. Mr. Big- 
low, in token of his gratitude for his remarkable deliverance from 
captivity, called his daughter, born soon after his return, " Free- 
dom ;" and a second, born some time aiterwards, he called " Com- 
fort," as expressive of the happiness and peace he then enjoyed, 
contrasted with the hardships and fears of a slate of captirity. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROrOH. 3 I 

Comfort was married to Joseph Brig-ham, the father of Mr. Jonah 
Brigham, of this town, who, when a chihl, often listened to the ac- 
count g^iven hy his grandfather Eiglow, of the circumstances ol' his 
captivity and escape. 

In 1707, August 18th, the ibilowing tragical event occurred in 
what is now the easterly part of Is'orthborough. There was at 
this time a garrison house standing on the south side of the road, 
near the brook, known hy the name of Stirrup Brook, which cros- 
ses the great road between the farms of Messrs. Jonas and Gill 
Bartlett, then in the possession of Samuel Goodeuow. As Mary 
Goodenoiv, daughter of Samuel, and Mrs. Mary Fay, wife of Ger- 
shom Fay, were gatiierin^ herbs in the adjoinmg meadow, a party 
of Indians, twenty lour in numl)er, all of whom are said to have 
been stout warriors, were seen issuing from the woods and making 
towards them. Mrs. Fay succeeded in etfecting her escape. She 
was closely pursued by a party of the enemy ; but before they 
came up, had time to ent^r the gariison, and to fasten ihe gate of 
the enclosure. There fortunately happened to be one man then 
within, the rest of the men belonging to the garrison being in the 
fields at work. Their savage invaders attempted in vain to break 
through the enclosure. These heroic defenders, by dint of great 
exertion, maintained the unequal conflict, till a party of friends, 
alarmed by the report of the muskets, came to their relief, when 
the enemy betook themselves to flight.* 

The other unfortunate young woman. Miss Goodenow, being re- 
tarded in her flight by lameness, was seized by her merciless pur- 
suers, dragged across the brook to the side of the hill, a little south 
of the road, where she was killed and scalped, and where her man- 
gled body was afterwards found and buried, and where her grave 
is shown at this day. 

On the following day, the enemy were pursued by a company 
«f about thirty men, from Marlborough and Lancaster, and over- 

* Mrs. Fay, it is said, discovered great presence of mind during this as- 
sault, being constantly employed in loading and reloading the muskets be- 
longing to the garrison, and handing them to her companion, who by this 
means was able to keep up a constant fire upon the invaders. No wonder 
that she was brave, for she had much at stake, f he was then the mother of 
two young children, one tour, and the other two years old. Gershom, fath- 
er of the late Thaddeus Fay, and Mary, afterwards married to George Smith. 
Her third, called Susanna, who was born on the liith of the following Novem- 
ber, was subject to a constant nervous trembling, caused, it is supposed, by 
the mother's fright, received at this time. At her father's death, Nov. 24, 
1720, she was left to the care of her brother, the late Timothy Fay, with 
whejn she lived till her decease. 



32 HISTORY OF NORTIIEOROUGH. 

taken in what is now Sterling, where a hard conflict ensued, in 
which nine of their numher, and two of our men were slain. In 
one of their packs was found the scalp of the unfortunate Miss 
Goodenow, which was the first intimation that was obtained of her 
melancholy fate. 

IVothing worthy of record is preserved of what took place be- 
tween this period* and the incorporation of the westerly part of 
Marlborough, then called Chauncey ^'illage, and including what is 
now Westborough and Northborough. The act of incorporation is 
dated November 19, 1717, O. S. or, in our present reckoning, No- 
vember 30. 

In the fall of 1718, the first meeting house was raised, which 
stood near the northern limits of Westborough, not far from the 
public house kept by Mr. Silas Wesson. It was not, however, till 
October 28, 1724, or nearly seven years after the town was incor- 
porated, that a church was gathered, and the Rev. Mr. Parkman, 
the first minister of Westborough, was ordained. 

It was at this house that our fathers, the first settlers of North- 
borough, worshipped for more than twenty years, some of them 
being accustomed to walk every Sabbath the distance of five or 
six miles. 

At length, October 20, 1744, the town of Westborough, consist- 
ing at that time of one hundred and twenty five families, was di- 
vided into two precincts ; the north part, to use the words of Rev. 
Mr. Parkman, "being indeed very small.''! The number of families 
set off to the north precinct was only thirty eight ; while eighty 
seven families remained attached to the old society. Nor was the 
separation effected without much opposition, and mutual recrimina- 
tion, the unhappy effects of which lasted man}' years. 

Having arrived at that period of our history, when Northbo- 
rough became a separate precinct, we proceed to give some ac- 
count of its boundaries, dimensions, face of the soil, kc. 

* I find, from a record kept by Col. Williams, of Marlborough, that Jon- 
athan Johnson was slain by the Indians, Ociobtr 12, 1708, but at what place, 
and under what circumstances, 1 have not been able to asdertain. 

t The act of the General Court, setting oflf the north part of Westbo- 
rough as a separate precinct, provides, '"that the Inhabitants of said north 
part shonld give security to Rev. Mr. Parkman, their present pastor, to give 
him JCIOO, lawful money, settlement, and £50, like money, per annum, in 
case he should incline to settle with them, ai^reeably to what they now prom- 
ise ; or otherwise, £12. 10*. like money, if he chooses to continue in the south 
part." It is unnec#;ssary to add, that Rev. Mr. Parkman chose to remain 
the minister of the old parish. lie died Dec. 9, 1782, in the 80th year of hi? 
a»e, and the 59th of his ministry. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUOH. 33 

BouNBARiEs, &c. — A plan of the town was made in 1795, by Mr. 
Silas Keyes, surveyor, then an inhabitant of the place. Accordinjj 
to this plan, Northborough contained 1U096 acres, includin^j ponds 
and roads. Since that date, that is, Feb. 15, 1806, the dividinof 
line between this town and Berlin, was by mutual consent, altered 
so as to bring both (owns into a better shape; and in June 20, 1807, 
the line between Nortliborough and Marlborough was altered, so 
as to include the farm of Deac. Jonas Bartlett, within the limits of 
this town. In its present state, the town contains about 10,150 
acres. 

The boundaries according to the plan made in 1795, are as foU 
lows* : — Beginning at the southwest corner, at a heap of stones on 
Shrewsbury line, it thence runs east, nineteen degrees north, four 
hundred and eighty nine rods, to a stake by the river Assabeth ; 
thence, in a northeasterly direction, as the river runs, one hundred 
and seventy six rods, to the Count}' road, near the dwelling house 
of Piiineas Davis, Esq. ; thence, by said river, one hundred and 
ninety four rods, to a stake and stones ; thence east, twenty degrees 
north, eight hundred and sixty four rods, to a stake and stones oti 
Southborough line. (The above are the boundaries between 
Northborough and Westborough.) From the last mentioned bounds, 
the line runs north, thirty two degrees west, one hundred and forty- 
rods by Southborough, to a stake and stones at the corner of Marl- 
borough. (The above are the boundaries between Northborough 
and Southborough.) From Marlborough corner the line ran, ac- 
cording to the plan of Mr. Keyes, north, thirty degrees forty live 
minutes west, one hundred and eighty seven rods, to a stake and 
stones; thence north, forty degrees thirty minutes west, one hun- 
dred and ten rods, to do. ; thence north, twenty two degrees thirty 
minutes west, one hundred and forty eight rods, to do. ; thence 
north, thirty two degrees west, forty rods, to a swamp white oak; 
thence north, twenty nine degrees west, seventy two rods, to a 
stake and stones; thence north, thirty degrees west, sixty four rods, 
to do. by the County road ; thence north, thirty one degrees forty 
minutes west, seventy seven rods, to do. ; thence north, twenty 
eight degrees fifteen minutes west, one hundred and twenty eight 
rods, to a walnut tree by the river; thence north, thirty three de- 
grees thirty minutes west, sixty eiglit rods, to a large oak tree 
marked; thence north, twenty seven degrees west, forty seven 

* For the alterations referred to above, see Massachusetts Special Lawa, 
Vol. IV. p. 3 aad 112. 



34 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 



rods, to a pine tree marked; thence north, thirt)? one degrees thir- 
ty minutes west, one hundred and twenty nine rods, to a stake and 
stones by Berlin line or corner. (The above were the former 
bounsls between Northborough and Marlborough ; for the alteration 
see note.) From Berlin corner, the lino ran north, thirty degrees 
west, one hundred and forty eight rods, to a heap of stones ; thence 
east, thirty two degrees north, ninety rods, to the Long Stone, so 
called ; thence west, sixteen degrees north, eight hundred and ten 
rods, to a heap of stones on Boylston line. (These were the for- 
mer bounds between Northborough and Berlin ; for the alteration 
see note.) Thence south, sixteen degrees west, eight hund-ed 
and sixty eight rods, to a heap of stones at Shrewsbury corner. 
(This is the line between Northborough and Boylston.) Thence 
south, sixteen degrees west, one hundred and forty nine rods, to a 
heap of stones. (This is supposed to be on or near the old Marl- 
borough line, which extended thence in one direction to the north- 
west corner of Marlborough.) Tiience south, twenty four degrees 
east, one hundred and eighty two rods, to a great oak ; thence 
south, twenty one degrees east, one hundred and fifty rods, to a 
heap of stones ; thence south, one degree east, twenty rods to the 
County road; thence, in the same direction, three hundred and 
seventeen rods, to a red oak ; thence south, twenty eight degrees 
thirty five minutes east, one hundred and ninety four rods, to where 
it began. (Tliese are the bounds between Northborough and 
Shrewsbury.) 

Besides what was originally a part of Marlborough, this town 
includes a large triangular tract, lying north of the old Marlborough 
line, (of which the Coram Farni and the Brown Farm made apart) 
and containing, as has been estimated, between two and three thou- 
sand acres. This tract, with several others now in the westerly 
part of Westborough, was surveyed in January and February, 
1715-16, by Wm. Ward, ;ind annexed to Chauncey Village by a 
grant of the General Court, before the latter was separated from 
Marlborough. 

In March and April, 1721, this tract was again surveyed by 
James Keyes; and a committee, consisting of John Sherman, Da- 
vid Brigham, and Joseph Wheeler, was appointed to lay it out in 
forty five shares, according to the number of the proprietors, which 
shares were aftervvards divided among them by lot. 

Besides the above Iractj the principal part of the farm of Deac. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 35 

Caleb Rice, of Marlborougli,* which lay without the original boun- 
daries of tho town, with another tract nearly us large, adjoining the 
former, falls within the limits of Northboroiigh, forming the soutli- 
west angle of the town. 

Northliorough is of an irregular form, its average length being 
about five miles, and its average breadth somewhat more than 
three miles. 

Surface, Soil, &c. — The principal part of the town consists of 
a valle}', environed by the hills of Marlborough on the east, Berlin 
on the north, and Boylston and Shrewsbury on the west, and open- 
ing into Westborough on the south, which town is an extension of 
the same low grounds. The surface of this valley is, however, di- 
versified by numerous hills, some of which are so considerable as 
to be distinguished by Lames. The northwest corner of the town, 
comprehending five or six good farms, and more than 1000 acres of 
land, forms part of the ridge of high land, running from Berlin, 
through Boylston and Shrewsbury, and is commonly called Ball's 
Hill.t 

Liquor Hill is a beautiful eminence, rising with a gentle decliv- 
ity from the great road, nearly opposite to the church, skirted with 
forest trees, while its summit and its northern and southern declivi- 
ties are open to the view and form a rich and pleasing prospect. 
Edmund Hill, about a mile in the northerly direction from the 
church, and Cedar Hill, in the southeastern part of the town, are 
similar in form to Liquor Hill, but less open to observation. 

Northboro'.igh is well supplied with streams of water. The 
principal stream is the river Assabeth, which, rising in Grafton, and 
crossing an angle of Westhorough, flows diagonally in a northeast- 
ern direction, through this town, crossing the great road, about 
half a mile east of the church, and turnishing several valuable wa- 
ter privileges. 

Cold Harbour Brook rises in Shrewsbury, crosses the southeast 
corner of Boylston, and enters this town. Having received a small 

* Deao. Caleb Rice was the father of the late Josiah Rico, of this town, 
who died 1792, ag^ed 92, and who came into possession of the farm abovemen- 
tioned, and was une of the gfreat<-st landholders in the town. That farm 
alone contained above five hundred acres, besides which, he owned several 
hundred acres in other parts of the town. 

t So called from tv.-o brothers, James and Nathan Ball, from Watertown, 
who settled there about the year 1720, and where some of their descendants 
?fill live. James, the father of the late Doct. Stephen Ball, and grandfather 
of the present Doct. Steph<*n Ball, Sen. died 175C, aged 62. Nathan, fathct 
of Nathan Ball, died 1768, aged 73. 

VOL. u. 21 



36 BISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH, 

tributary stream from Rocky Pond, in Boylston, and supplying wa* 
ter for a Grist and Saw Mill, it flows in a very circuitous route 
through a tract of rich intervales and extensive meadows, crossing 
the road at Cold Harbour bridge, a few rods south of the church, 
and having received another small stream from the west, on which 
a Saw Mill is erected, it falls into the Assabeth, a little below where 
the latter crosses the great road. 

In the easterly part of the town, a small stream, called Stirrup 
Brook, issuing from Little Chauncey Pond, furnishes a suf)ply of 
water for a Saw Mill, and is boidered by a rich intervale and 
meadows. 

Another small stream, called Hop Brook, from the abundance 
of wild hops which formerly grew on its banks, rises in Shrews- 
bury, crosses the southwest angle of this town, furnishing water 
for two Saw Mills and one Grist Mill, and falls into the Assabeth, 
soon after that river enters the town. It appears, therefore, that 
all the waters of Northborough fall into the Assabeth, which con- 
veys them to the Merrimack between Chelmsford and Tewksbury. 

The two principal ponds in Northborough are the Little Chaun- 
cey, in the southeastern part of the town, containing sixty five acres, 
and Solomon's Pond, in the northeastern part, containing twenty six 
acres. Little Chauncey takes its name from Great Chauncey, in 
Westborough, with which it is connected by a small stream. It is 
a beautiful sheet of water, well stored with fish, its borders in part 
fringed with woods, while to the east, it opens towards cultivated 
fields. Solomon's Pond, so named from Solomon, an Indian, who 
was drowned in it, is not destitute of beauty, and is encompassed 
by a tract of excellent land. 

The soil is in general rich and productive, the poorest being, 
as Whitney justly observes, that " which appears as we travel the 
great road." In the northern part of the town, the land is rocky 
and hard, though it produces good crops of hay and grain. In the 
middle- and southern parts the land is more level, and if not more 
productive, is cultivated with much less labor and expense. 

Roads, &c. — The principal road is the old Worcester Post road, 
which passes through the middle of the town, about forty rods south 
of the Meeting House. The distance to Boston from this town is 
34 miles ; to Worcester 10 miles. Four Stages, furnishing a daily 
Mail from the east and from the west, pass on this road f very day, 
Sundays excepted. 

The old County road from Framingham to Worcester, also leads 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 37 

through the sontli part of the town ; and the Worcester Turnpike 
crosses the southwest angle, passing one house only in Northbo- 
rough. The roads from Lancaster to this place, one of which pas- 
ses the Meeting House in Berlin, and that from Boylston, are much 
travelled. The distance to Lancaster is 10 miles; to Boylston 6; 
to VVestborough 4^ miles. 

The highways are kept in repair by an annual tax of from ^500 
to $800. 

Mills, Manufactories, &;c. — Northborough contains at present 
four Grist Mills, five Saw Mills, two Carding I\I -chines, a manufac- 
tory for Hoes and Scythes; large and comniulious works recently 
established by Capt. Thomas W. Lyon, for manufacturing Cotton 
Machinery ; an extensive Tannery owned by Phinehas and Joseph 
Davis, Esquires, whose annual sales of leather amount to ^20,000. 
There are also six Coopers, four Blacksmiths, one Saddle and Har- 
ness Maker, one Book Binder, three Wheelwrights, eight or ten 
Shoemakers, who, besides supplying the wants of the town, manu- 
facture about 4000 pairs of shoes annually for a foreign market. 
The Cotton Factory, built in 1814, by the Northborough Manufac- 
turing Company, at an expense of about ^30,000, was lately sold at 
auction, and is now in the possession of Rogersoi & Co. of Boston, 
and Isaac Davis, Esq. and Mr. Asaph Rice, of this town. It stands 
on the river Assubeth, which furnishes a sufficient supply of water 
during the principal part of the season ; and contains over 700 spin- 
dles for Cotton, and 100 for Woollen, 10 looms, a fulling mill, card- 
ing machine, &.c. and manufactures 80,000 yards of cloth annually. 

There are in the town, two stores, furnished with a good as- 
sortment of English and West India Goods, the one kept by Gale 
&, Davis ; the other by Rice, Farnsworth, & Co. 

Population, Deaths, &c. — At the time of th.e ordination of Rev- 
Mr. Martyn, (1746) there were 40 families in the place ; the num- 
ber had increased to 82 families at the ordination of Rev. Mr. Whit- 
ney, (1767); and, in 1796, to more than 110 families. By the cen- 
sus of 1810, the number of inhabitants was 794; by that of 1820, 
1018, making an increase of 224 in ten years. By a census taken 
the last winter, however, and which it is believed is very nearly 
accurate, the whole number of inhabitants was only 946, of whom 
488 were males, and 458 females. 

In the autumn of 1746, the year that Rev. Mr. Martyn was or- 
dained, and for several following years, particularly in 1749 and 
1750, this society was visited by a very mortal sickness among 



38 HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGU. 

children, by which the growth of the society must have been very 
sensibly checked, and which must have been attended with circum- 
stances of peculiar distress.* 

Sixty children, out of a population which could not have much 
exceeded three hundred, fell victims to the desolating pestilence ; 
and, with the exception of one adult, (Benjamin Rugg, a stranger,) 
were the first persons that were buried in the new church yard.t 

This was the last sweeping, mortal sickness, with which this 
place has been visited. 

Since the great sicknesss, in the years 1749 and 1750, no town 
in this vicinity has been more exempt from wasting, mortal distem- 
pers. The number of deaths from 1780, to 1800, including a peri- 
od of twenty years, amounted to only 146, averaging a little more 
than 7 in a year. During the first twenty five years oi^ the present 
century, the number was 282. The average number for the last 
ten years has been about 11^ annually, in a population of nearly a 
thousand souls. The whole number of deaths from 1780, to the 
present date, (June, 1826) is 450 ; of whom seventy eight were 70 
years and upwards ; forty three, 80 years and upwards ; seventeen, 
90 years and upwards; one (VVid. Hannah Fay|) in her hundredth 
year; and one (Deac. Jonathan Livermore§) one hundred years 
and seven months. There are now living in this town, five or six 

*The sickness -which prevailed in 1746, Capt. Timothy Brigham informa 
me, was the dysentery, then called, '•'• the fever and flux.'" Capt. B. then a 
child of 10 years old, lost a sister, and was himself sick of the disease- He 
thinks that as many as 30 children died that year, in this place. He recol- 
lects being attended in his sickness by Doct. Benjamin Gott, of .Marlborough. 
The sickness of 1749 and 1750, was the " throat distemper," as it was termed, 
which, for many years after its first appearance in New England, proved such 
a desolating scourge. 

tThe old burying ground, in which many of the first settlers of North- 
borough were interred, is east of the road leading to W'estborough, a little 
so'Uh of the dwelling house of Mr. William Maynard. It is now OTergrowD 
■with trees and brush. 

J Widow Hannah Fay was a daughter of Nathaniel Oaks, was married 
to Gershom Fay, father of the late Thaddeus Fay, and died, March 8, 1806, 
aged 100. 

i Deac. Livermore came from Watertown about A. D. 1720, and settled 
on the Brown larm, so called, where David Dinsmore now lives. He was the 
first Parish Clerk in this place, which office he held many years. He died 
April 26, 1801, aged 101, A short time after he was 100 jears old, he rode 
on horseback from his house to a military review, near the middle of the 
town, the distance of three miles, and returned without fatigue. He posses- 
sed uncommon learning for his time, was an accurate surveyor, and an excel- 
lent penman, owmg to which circumstance, the early records of the town ap- 
pear in a remarkably fine state. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOBOUGII. 39 

persons over eighty years ; and one, (Capt. Timothy Bricrham,*) 
in his ninety first year. One couple (Capt. Amos Ricej and his 
wife) still survive, who were joined in marrias^e het'ore the death 
of Rev. Mr. Martyn, who baptised their first child. They were 
married May 8th, 1766, and have lived together more than sixty 
years. 

The average number of births for a year, has been, of late, about 
thirty ; which, deducting the deaths, will give an annual increase of 
from fifteen to twenty souls. 

Civil History. — Nothing has been found on record relating to 
the part which this town bore in the old French wars, as we have 
been accustomed to hear them called by our »gei\ lathers. We 
learn, however, from the few who survive of the generation then 
on the stage of active life, that this small district was not backward 
in furnishing men to join the several expiditions, which were under- 
taken for the conquest of the French in Canada. 

Eliphalet Warren, John Carruth, and Adam Fay, joined the ex- 
pedition to Halifax, in 1754. In the following year, Benjamin Flood 
and Eber Eager, the latter of whom did not live lo return, were at 
Crown point. In 1758, the eight following persons were with the 
army under General Abercromiiie, at his defeat before Ticondero- 
ga. Capt. Timothy Brigham, [now living and who retains a per- 
fect recollection of the scenes he passed through in this ill-fated 
expedition,] Eliphalet Stone, Samuel Stone, [who died on his re- 
turn,] Benjamin Flood, Josiah Bowker, Samuel Morse, Gideon How- 
ard, and Joel Rice. Capt. Brigham says that the attack upon the 
French lines commenced at 5 o'clock, A. M. and lasted till 7 o'clock, 
P. M. ; and that over 1900 of our men were missing at the calling 
of the rolls that evening. Capt. B. says that after this repulse, the 
army retreated to Lake George, soon after which, the company to 

*Capt. Timothy Brigham is a son of Jesse, who was a son of Jonathan^ 
■who was a son of Thomas Brieham, one of the farly settlers of Marlborough, 
He was present at tlie defeat o! the English, under Abercrombie, before Ti- 
conderoga, in 1758, and Lieutenant of the company of minute men that march- 
ed down to Cambridge on the memorable 19lh of April, 1775. Jonathan 
Brigham was in the Indian fight, at Lancaster, (now Sterling) Aug. 19, 1707, 
and stood next to Richard Singleiary, who was killed in the action. This 
fact, Capt. B. had from his own mouth. 

tCapt. Amos Rice is a son of Jacob, who was a son of Jacob, ^^ho M'as 
a son of Edward, one of the 13 original petitioners for the Plantation of Marl- 
borough. Benjamin, another son of Edward, was the father of Dcac. Matthi- 
as Rice, and of Simeon Rice, late of this town, and of Zerubbabel Rice, late 
of Marlborough. Tradition says, that the first person by the name of Rice, 
who emigrated to New England, had eight sons, all of whom lived to bo f)(> 
years old and upwards. 



40 History of NORfuBOROuoH. 

which he belonged (Capt. Stephen Maynard'sof Westborough) was 
dismissed and returned home. 

There is one man, now living in this town, at the age of 88, 
nearly, [Lieut. Abraham Munroe] who was at Halifax, in the regi- 
ment of Maj. Rogers, of Londonderry, N. H. in the year 1757, 
and, at the taking of Ticonderoga under Gen. Amherst, in 1759. 
Mr. Muuroe had there the rank of Ensign ; and, in the following- 
year, received a Lieutenancy. He served in the regiment of Col. 
Saltonstal, of Haverhill ; and, at the departure of our army for Mon- 
treal, received orders to remain at the head of a detachment of 
men, for the purpose of completing the repairs of the fortifications 
at Crown Point. Lieut. Munroe continued at Ticonderoga, till his 
discharge, in May, 1763, under Capt. Omsbury, or Amsbury, to 
whom the command of the fort had been committed. 

Several other persons belonging to this town, whose names I 
have not learned, were in service at different times during the 
French wars, some of whom did not live to return. 

The following particulars have been collected relating to the 
part which this town bore in the burdens and privations of the 
revolutionary war. 

l|^ appears from the town records, that the inhabitants of this 
town, took an early and decided stand in defence of the liberties of 
our country. So early as March, 22d, 1773, more than two years 
before hostilities commenced, a number of spirited resolutions were 
passed at a district meeting, called for the purpose, among which 
were the following : 

" 2. Voted, as the opinion of this district, that it is the indispen- 
sable duty of all men and all bodies of men to unite and strenuously 
to oppose by all lawful ways and means, such unjust and unright- 
eous encroachments, made or attempted to be made upon theirjust 
right?; and that it is our duty earnestly to endeavor to hand those 
rights down inviolate to our posterity, as they were handed to us 
by our worthy ancestors. 

" 3. Voted, that the thanks of this district be given to the town 
of Boston lor their friendly, seasonable and necessary intelligence; 
and that they be desired to keep their watch, and guard against all 
such invaders and incroaches for the future. 

"4. V^oted, that Capt. Bcz. Eager, Doct. Stephen Ball, and Mr. 
Timothy Fay, be a committee to make answer to the committee of 
corres., at Boston, informing them of the opinion of this district in 
this matter." 



HISTORY OF NORTHBORCLGH. 41 

in August of the following' year, eight months before the war 
-.ommenced, at a special meeting called for the purpose, the district 
passed the following vote. — " That we are determined to defend 
our charter rights and privileges, at the risk of our lives and for- 
tunes, and that the town desire the committee of correspondence,* 
to write to their brethren in Boston, and inform them thereof." 

In November, 1774, the district voted to aj)propriate money in 
the treasury to buy one hundred pounds of powder ; three hundred 
pounds of lead, and two hundred and forty flints ; and on June 3d, 
1776, it was resolved, "that it was the mind of this town to be inde- 
pendent of Great Britain, in case the Continental Congress think 
proper ; and that we are ready with our lives and fortunes, if in 
Providence called, to defend the same." 

Some time before the war broke out, a company of fifty minute 
men was raised in this town, under the command of the late Capt. 
Samuel Wood, who held themselves in readiness to march at a mo- 
ment's warning, whenever and wherever hostilities should com- 
mence.! At length the memorable 19th of April arrived, on which 
day, the 6rst blood in our Revolutionary struggle was shed, at Lex- 
ington and Concord. On the same da\', before one o'clock, P. M. 
the tidings reached this place. The company of minute men be- 
longing to this town vv'as collecting at tfie time to listen to an oc- 
casional patriotic discourse from Rev. Mr. Whitney. They were 
directed without a moment's delay, to put themselves in readiness 
to march; and in three or four hours f>om the time when the news 
arrived, they had taken leave of their families and were paraded 
in the yard of Capt. Woods' house, whence (the Rev. ftlr. Whitney 
having in a fervent prayer commended them to the protection of 
the God of armies,) they immediately set out on their march for 
the field of danger and of blood. | 

*The following persoos were a standing committee of Correspondence, ia 
1774. Bezaleel Eaj-er, Seth Rice, Jr. Levi Brigham. Gillam Bass, and John 
Ball. In the following- year, the ever uiemorable 1775, thrre were seven ou 
the committee of correspondence, viz. 'I'hadeus Fay, John Ball, Joel Rice, 
Amos Rice, [now living] Artemas Brigham, Jethro Peters, and Nathan Green. 

+ April 10th, 1775, the town voted to pay fifty minute men one shilling 
each, for each half day they shall meet to learn the iVlililary art, for sixteen 
half days ; and granted Jj40 for that purpose. 'I'he town also voted that Mr. 
'J'imothy Brigham, <Joristable, pay to Henry Gardner, 1'Jsq. the Province lax, 
■which lie has now in his hands, for the year 1773, and the District will in- 
demnify him. Also Voted, to indemnify the Assessors for not making the 
province tax for the year 1774. 

X Of the fifty men belono:ing to this company, the following persons are 
HOW living ifl this town. Capt. Timothy Brigham, then the Lieut, of the 



42 mSTORY OF NOKTHBOROUUII. 

Nor did tiiespiiited resolutions, abore adverted to, cud in idle 
words. They were the result of reflection and patriotic principle ; 
and the}' led to the cheerful endurance of privations and hardships, 
of which the descendants can probably t'orm no adequate concep- 
tion. 

At one time five, and soon after three, at another five, at anoth- 
er seven, and on one occasion seventeen men, vvere called for from 
this small town by the General Court, and were marched in some 
instances, several hundred miles, to mingle in the scenes of war.* 

In the sprinw of 1781, agreeably to a resolve of the General 
Court, this town was divided into eight classes, each class being re- 
quired to furnish a man to serve in the Continental Army for the 
term of three years, or during the war. And what is worthy of re- 
mark, as it is an evidence of the patriotic spirit which prevailed 
among this people in the preceeding autumn, viz. December 28, 
1780, the town, taking into consideration the hardships undergoue 
by those who had entered into the service of their country, and es- 
pecially the losses they had sustained, by being paid in a depreciat- 
•ed currency, generously voted to raise their quota of men, and to 
pay and clothe them at their own expense, allowing them 40 shill- 
ings each, per month, in hard money, and £21 per year, also in 
hard money, in addition to their clothes. f 

Six men more were called for from this town in the following 
summer; &ve to go to West Point, and one to Rhode Island, who 
we'^e accordingly raised, and the town granted £l22 55. in hard 
money, (or ^407,50,) to pay the same. At the same time, they 
were required to purchase, for the use of the army, 3518/65. of beef, 
for which the town granted £11, in hard money (or ;p25G,66.) The 
whole amount granted at this meeting, and which went to the sup- 
port of the war, was therefore ^6G4,16 in hard money ; which, con- 
sidering the population of the town and the value of hard money 
at that period, was a great sum and must have been felt as a heavy 
burden. Previous to the June, 1778, it appears from the town 

company, Capt. Arno3 Rice, Mr. Isaac How, Mr. Joseph Sever, Mr. Reuben 
Babcock, ami Mr. Nattian Rice. Capt. Samuel Wood, the commander of 
the company, died September 21, 1818, agfed 75 years. He was present, and 
received a slight wound, at the battle of Bunker Hill. The Ensig^n of the 
company was Mr. Thomas Sever, now of Townsend, in this slate. 

*"July 13th, 1780, the town voted and granted the sum often thousand 
pounds to pay seventeen men hir^ d into the sirvice, nine for the term, of six 
months, and eight for the term of three months.'" 

t Town Records, I. p. 212. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 43 

records, that this town had expended in money and service towards 
carrying on the war £1474 14*. Id. in a depreciated currency 
probably, the precise value of which, it is difficult now to deter- 
mine.* 

Such, we presume is no more than a fair specimen of the bur- 
dens borne by the community in support of the war of our Indepen- 
dence, and of the spirit with which they were borne. 

In many, very many instances indeed, the people were impov- 
erished and brought low. But they were not disheartened ; and, 
by the smiles of a merciful Providence, their efforts were crowned 
with complete success. Let us who have entered into their labors 
not forget what we owe to that far-famed generation, who support- 
ed the privations and hard-^hips of a long and harrassing conflict, in 
support of our cherished liberties.! 

The number was small of those who had refused to embark in 
the cause of liberty, the names of four only being recorded as ab- 
sentees, whose estates were confiscated near the close of the war.| 

The patriotism of two others was indeed suspected, and thev 
were subjected to a good deal of inconvenience in consequence of it.§ 

* The town records contain a list of the names of 90 persons (probably 
the whole number who paid taxes) with the amount contributed by each. 

"October 30, 1780, the town granted £6660 to purchase beef for the 
army." This I suppose was when the depreciation of money was nearly, or 
quite at the lowest ebb, about which time, £2933 6s. 8rf. were granted to 
Rev. Mr. Whitney by an unanimous vote of the town, in addition to his yearly 
salary. 

'''.May 17, 1781, the town granted the sum of £3300 Os. Od. to pay for 
three horses for the use of the Continental army." 

t Among the survivors of the soldiers of the revolution, in this town, five 
received pensions from the U. States, agreeably to the law passed, April, 1818. 

From all these, however, with the exception of two, one of whom has since 
died, their pensions were withdrawn, after the modification of the law, in 1820. 
!*iace that time, two of the number, reduced to poverty, have recovered their 
pensions ; and the only remaining one from whom it was withdrawn, and 
who, depending on the pension, had involved himself in debt in erecting a 
small building for his accommodation, has been compelled to part with his 
snug little farm, and is now, in his old age, reduced to the very verge of abso- 
lute want. Such, so far as I have witnessed it, has been the operation of the 
laws respecting pensions to Revolutionary Soldiers. It may be remarked 
moreover, that the two to whom the pensions were continued, had been a 
town charge, and were not regarded as very valuable members of the com- 
munity. 

fThese were James Easier and his son. John Eager ; and Ebenezer Cutler, 
and Michael Martyn, sons in law of the late Capt. James Eager, of this town. 

i These were John Taylor, and Sylvanus Billings. The former, a gen- 
tleman of handsome property and who had been one of Ihe leading men of 
the tov/n ; the latter also a man of considerable estate. 



44 HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 

After the close of the war, the embarrassments arisina^ from the 
want of a circulating medium, when almost all were deeply involv- 
ed in debt, caused much uneasiness, and led the people to devise 
measures for their removal. August 7th, 1786, Isaac Davis was 
chosen as a delegate to attend a County Convention, at Leicester, 
on the 15th inst. to whom the following, ;imong other instructions, 
were given by a committee appointed by the town. The delegate 
was to use his influence "that the Convention petition his Excel- 
lency, the Governor, and Co'incil, to call the General Court togeth- 
er, in the month of October next, at fartherest ; and that the Conven- 
tion present a humble and decent petition to the General Court to 
set up and establish a mint in the Commonwealth, &c." Complaints 
were also made of the salaries of the civil list, being so high, and of 
various othergrievances under which the people labored.* There 
vv^as nothing, however, of the spirit of rebellion or insubordination 
in the resolutions that were passed at this meeting, or in the con- 
duct which followed ; and though it appears from the representa- 
tions of all, that the people generally were reduced to the greatest 
straits, yet only three or four individuals were found willing to 
join in the rebellion of that year, and to seek redress by measures 
of violence.! 

Schools, &c. — Previous to the year 1766, 1 can find on record, 
no appropriations made for the education of youth. But I am in- 
formed that several instructors had, before that period, been em- 

* There prevailed, at this time, very generally through the country, the 
most violent prejudices against the profession of the law. One of the instruc- 
tions given to th-^ delegate, at this time, was, that he was to use his influence 
in thf^ convention, hy petitioning and rcmonstratine; to the General Court, 
"■ that the whule order of Lawyers be annihilated ; for we conceive them not 
only to be buildine; themselves upon the ruins of the distressed, but said order 
has increased, and is daily increasing, far beyond any oLher set or order of 
men among us, in numbers and affluence ; and we apprehend they may be- 
come ere long somewhat dangerous to the rights and liberties of the people." 

t The following is a list of the names of those who have represented this 
town in the General Court, from 1775, to the present time. 

Col. Levi Brigham, from 1775. to 1777.— John Ball, 1778, 1782, and 
1785.— Deac. Paul Newton, 1779, and 1780.— Deac. Seth Rice, 1783.— 
Di-ac. Isaac Uavis, seven years — between 1787 and 1798. — l)eac. Nahum Fay, 
1800 and 1801. — James Keyes, Esq. eighteen years, from 1802, to the present 
time. 

From the above account, it appears that this town has been represented 
thirty six yi-ar? since the commencement of the Revolutiona'y war. 

The following persons have been commissioned Justices of the peace. 
The first commission is dated July 3, 1793. Nahum Fay, Seth Grout, Isaac 
Davis, Step!)' n Williams, James Keyes, Phineas Davis, and Cyrus Gale. 
Of this number, three, Seth Grout, Isaac Davis and James Keyes, have since 
cLeceased. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 45 

ployed to teach, at private houses, in different parts of the town, 
and who were paid by the voluntary contributions of the parents. 
The first school house that was erected in this town, stood on the 
meeting house common, whence it was afterwards removed, and 
now t'urms part of the dwelling house of Mr. Joel Bartlett.* In 
1770, the district was divided into four squadrons ; but it was not 
till 1780, that the town passed a vole to build school houses in the 
several sqcadrons, and granted money for that purpose. The town 
granted jt;4000 for building four school houses, which, at the time 
it was ex/euded, amounted to only £52 6s. 8d. to which they added 
£110 6s. 8d. amounting to £163 Ijs. 4i. 

Since that period two new School districts have been formed ; 
so that there are now six districts in the town, in each of which, a 
school is kept from eight to twelve weeks, both winter and summer. 

The following is an abstract of the return of the School com- 
mittee, made in May last, to the General Court. 

Amount paid for public Instruction, $600. 

Time of keeping school in the year, 6 months each district. 

Males under 7 years, 47 Females under 7 years, 39 
From 7 to 14, 98 From 7 to 14, 75 

From 14 and upwards, 68 From 14 and upwards, 47 

Males, 213 Females, 161 

213 

Total, 374 

There are, in this town, three respectable Libraries, containing 
in all about 500 volumes, exclusive ot the Juvenile Library, which 
contains nearly 150 volumes, suited to children and youth. 

The Juvenile Library, commenced in 1824, is supported by an 
annual contribution, and, under a few simple regulations, is accessi- 
ble to all the children and youth, over the age of 7 years, residing 
in the tovvn. 

Many young men, educated in our schools, have been employed 
as Instructors, both here and in other towns, and have generally 
proved worthy of the contidence reposed in them. 

Besides several professional gentlemen educated in our schools, 
and in the neighboring Academies, twelve young men have receiv- 
ed a public education, eight of whom are graduates of Harvard 

* Mr. Thomas Goodenow was the first Instructor, supported at the ex- 
pense of the town. Mr. James Hart, a foreig^ner, was employed about this 
time, (1770) and is frequently spoken of as the father of the many excellent 
pearaen for AThicb this town has, in former years, been fan;ed, 



46 HISTORY OF KORTHBOROUGH. 

University, at Cambridge, one of Brown University, and one each, 
of Yale, Dartmouth, and Williams' Colleges. 

Their names, professions, &c. are as follow : 

1. Jonathan Livermore, son of the late Deac. Jonathan Liver- 
more, was graduated at Harvard University, in 1760 ; settled iu 
the ministry at Wilton, N. H. in 1763; was dismissed, but remained 
in that place, whore he died, July, 1809, in the 80th year of his age. 

2. Ebenezer Rice, son of the late Simon Rice,* was graduated 
at Harvard University, in 1760 ; was a Physician, and a justice of 
the peace, in Marlborough ; afterwards removed to Barre, where 
be died. 

3. Jacob Rice, son of the late Jacob Rice, was graduated at 
Harvard University, in 1765; settled in Henniker, N. H. being the 
first minister in that place; was dismissed, on account of ill health; 
was installed at Brovvnfield, Oxford County, Me. where he remain- 
ed till his death, which took place suddenly, Feb. 1, 1824, Lord's 
Day, having preached to his people in the morning. 

4. Elijah Brigham, son of the late Col. Levi Brigham, was 
graduated at Dartmouth College, in 1778 ; commenced the study of 
Divinity, which he soon relinquished, and engaged in mercantile 
business with his brother in law, Breck Parkman, Esq. of Westbo- 
rough : in 1795, he was appointed one of the Justices of the Court 
of Common Pleas ; for several years was a Senator and Counsellor 
of this Commonwealth, a Justice through the State, and a Repre- 
sentative of this District in the Congress of the United States, from 
1810 to the time of his death. Judge Brigham died suddenly, at 
Washington, Feb. 22, 1816, aged 64. 

5. John Taylor, son of the late John Taylor, was graduated at 
Harvard University, in 1786; is now a Counsellor at Law, in North- 
ampton, and one of the Representatives of that town in the Gen- 
eral Court. 

6. Peter Whitney, son of Rev. Peter Whitney, was graduated 
at Harvard University, in 1791 ; now the minister of Quincy, in 
this State, where he waS ordained, Feb. 5, 1800. 

7. Henry Gassett, son of Henry Gassett, was graduated at Har- 
vard University, in 1795 ; is now a merchant, in Boston. 

8. Israel Munroe, son of Abraham Munroe, was graduated at 

Harvard University, in 1800; was for some years a Counsellor at 

Law, in Boston; he now resides in the city of New York. 

* Simon Rice, the father of Dr. Ehenezer Rice, was a brother of t'he late 
Deac. Matthias Kite, of this town. He lived just within the limits of North- 
borough, near the dwelling house of Mr. Ephraim Barnard. 



HISTORy OF NORTHBOROUGH. 47 

9. Warren Fay, son of Nahum Fay, Esq was graduated at Har- 
vard University, in 1807 ; ordained at Brimtield, Nov. 3, 1808; dis- 
missed, June 2G, 1811 ; installed at Harvard, Jan. 26, 1814; dis- 
missed, at his own request, Jan. 5, 1820; installed as minister of 
the First Congregational Church and Society in Charlestown, Feb. 
23, 1820. 

10. Luther Rice, son of Capt. Amos Rice, was graduated at 
Williams College, in 1810; ordained at Salem, Feb. 6, 1812, as a 
Missionary; sailed for Calcutta in company with Messrs. Hall & 
Judson, Feb. 18, 1812. Soon after his arrival he chi^nged his views 
on the subject of baptism ; was baptised by immersion ; and, in the 
autumn of 1813, returned to this country. He now resides in Wash- 
ington, D. C. and is Treasurer of Columbia College. 

1 1 . John Davis, son of the late Isaac Davis, Esq. was graduated 
at Yale College, in 1812; is now a Counsellor at Law, in Worcester, 
and represents this District in the Congress of the U. S. 

12. Isaac Davis, son of Phineas Davis, Esq. was graduated at 
Brown University, in 1822 ; is now an Attorney at Law, in Wor- 
cester. 

There are, at present, two physicians in this place, Docts. Ste- 
phen Ball, Sen'r. and Jun'r. The onh' other physician who made 
Norihborough his permanent residence, was the late Doct. Stephen 
Ball, father of Stephen Ball, Sen'r. There has never been a law- 
yer residing in the place, with the exception of John Winslow, 
Esq. who remained here only a few years. And, it is a singular 
fact, that with this exception, and that of the three successive min- 
isters, all of whom were educated at Harvard University, none of 
the permanent inhabitants of the town, at this or at any former pe- 
riod, received a public and liberal education. 

Ecci^siASTicAL, &.C. — Measurcs were taken immediately after 
Northborough became a separate precinct, to support the public 
worship of God, by building a church, and procuring a minister. 

December 31, 1744, the parish voted to build a meeting house, 
and to raise £50, lawful money, for that purpose. This led, as fre- 
quently happens, to a controversy respecting the location of the 
editice, which, after several months continuance, was finally sub- 
mitted to the arbitration of three respectable men from the neigh- 
boring towns, Capt. Daniel Hej'wood, of Worcester, Capt, John 
Haynes, of Sudbury, and Capt. Thomas Hapgood, of Shrewsbury, 
who fixed on the spot, near the site of the present church. The 
land on which the house was erected, was given to the town for 



48 HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 

the use of its inhabitants, by Capt. James Eager, by a deed bear- 
ing date April 26, 1745, "so long as the said inhabitants of the 
north precinct shall improve said land for the standing of a meeting 
house for the public worship of God." 

The committee reported, April 24, 1745; and, on April 30, only 
6 days after, the house was raised ; a vote having previously pas- 
sed, that '^ every man should provide for the raising as he was 
spirited."* 

New difficulties now arose respecting the settlement of a minis- 
ter. Several candidates had been employed ; and, as usually hap- 
pens in such cases, the minds of the people were divided between 
them. Under these circumstances, the precinct appointed a fast 
for the 12th Sept. 1745, and sent for five of the neighboring minis- 
ters " to give them their advice who they should apply to for can- 
didates, in order to a choice." 

The following gentlemen attended on the occasion ; viz. Rev. 
Mr. Prentice, Rev. Mr. Parkman, Rev. Mr. Gushing, and Rev. Mr. 
Morse, who recommended that the parish should hear a few sab- 
baths each, two candidates from Gambridge, Rev. Mr. Rand, and 
Mr. Jedediah Adams, in order to a choice. Mr. John Martyn was 
one of the candidates, who had previously been employed by the 
parish ; and although they complied with the advice of the neigh- 
boring ministers, so far as to hear the other candidates two sab- 
baths each, yet on the 19th of December, 1745, " Mr. John Mar- 
tyn was chosen by a clear vote" ; and a salary was offered him of 
£50 in bills of the last emission, (which was at Is. 6d. per ounce,) 
or £200 in bills of the old form and tenor, after the rate of silver 
at 30s. per ounce, or in other bills of public credit, equivalent to 
the said sum, aud to be paid at two payments annually." Besides 
this, a settlement of ^300, old tenor, was voted by the parish. 

Mr. Martyn accepted the invitation, and was ordained. May 21, 
1746, O. S, a church having been gathered on the same day, con- 
sisting often brethren, besides the pastor elect, four of whom, it is 
worthy of notice, were foreigners.! 

* Tbe dimensions of the first meeting house were 46 feet by 36. The 
Twhole cost of finishing the outside was £443 11*. 2d. The building commit- 
tee consisted of Capt. James Eager, Wm. Holloway, and Jesse Brigham. 
The house was framed by Daniel Hemminway. The price of labor at this 
time, was, in the old tenor currency, for a man per day scoring timber, 6*. for 
hewing, 6s. 6d. for carpenter's work, 8*. White pine timber, 3 pence per 
foot ; for oak, 2^ pence, running measure. " Allowed Jotham Bartlett £2 
Ws. for two barrels of cider at the raising of the meeting house." 

t The followinj are the names of the persons who subscribed to the church 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 49 

The ordaining council consisted of the following pastors, with 
their delegates : 

Rev. Mr. Paikman, of Westborough, who preached on the oc- 
casion, (>om Heb. xiii. 17; Rev. Mr. Prentice, of Lancaster, who 
gave the charge; Rev. Mr. Gushing, of Shrewsbury, who expressed 
the fellowship of the Churches; Rev. Mr. Loring, of Sudbury; Rev. 
Mr. Hall, of Sutton; Rev. Mr. Gardner, of Stow; and Rev. Mr. Bar- 
rett, of Hopkinton. 

Although the ceremonies of the ordination took place in the 
meeting house, yet it appears from the town records that it was in 
a very unfinished state, having neither pulpit, galleries, glass win- 
dows, nor even permanent floors. It was not till June, in the fol- 
lowing year, that a vote could be obtained "■ to glaze the meeting 
house and lay the floors ;" and not till the next autumn, that the 
pulpit and gallery stairs were built. This was indeed the day of 
small things ; and when we compare the accommodations of the 
spacious and elegant temple since erected near the spot, with the 
loose floors, and rough seats, and open windows of the house in 
which our fathers worshi[)ped, we shall do well to inquire wheth- 
er we surpass them as much in the punctuality of our attendance, 
and the spirituality of our worship, as in the beauty and accommo- 
dations of the place of our solemnities. 

Northborough became an incorporated district, Jan. 24, 1766, 
not long after which, viz. April 30, 1767, the Rev. John Martyn, 
after a short illness, departed this life, in the 61st year of his age, 
and the 21st of his ministry. His wife died, Sept. 8, 1775, aged 70. 

Mr. Martyn was a son of Capt. Edward Martyn, of Boston, 
where he spent his early life, under the care of an excellent moth- 
er, who had been left a widow in easy circumstances, some time 
previous to young Mr. Martyn's entering college. Mr. Martyn 
was graduated at Harvard University, in 1724. For several years 
after he left college, he devoted his attention to secular pursuits, 
and was for some time an inhabitant of Harvard, in this county.* 

covenant at this time. — John Martyn, the pastor elect ; Ephraim Allen ; Josh- 
ua Dowsin™;^, (sometimes written Townsenrl) from England; John McAllester, 
from Ireland ; Jonathan Livermore, (afterwards Deac. Livermore ;) Gershom 
Fay ; Matthias Rice, (afterwards Deac. Rice ;) Samuel Allen ; Jacob Shep- 
herd, a foreigner ; John Carruth, also a foreigner ; and Silas Fay. 

* Rev. Mr. Martyn was married to Miss Mary Marret, of Cambridge, l)y 
whom he had the following children : John, who lived in this town ; Mary, 
married to a Minot, of Concord ; Michael, who was married to Zilpah, daugh- 
ter of James Eager, and lived in this town till the commencement of the rcr- 



50 HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGII. 

At leng'tli, at the age of 40, he directed his attention to Theo- 
loo;ical pursuits, and became an able, faithful, and useful minister. 
He possessed, in a large measure, the confidence and affections of 
his flock, was honored in his life, and deepljf lamented at his death. 
Rev. Peter Whitney was the only person employed as a candi- 
date in this place between the death of Mr. Martyn and his own 
ordination. 

Mr. I\Iartyn died the last day of April ; and, after an interval of 
only 6 months and 4 days, that is, on the 4th of the following No- 
vember, his successor was inducted into the office of a christian 
minister.* 

The services at his ordination were performed by the follow- 
ing persons. Rev. Mr. Morse, of the second church in Shrewsbu- 
ry, (now Boylston) made the Introductory Prayer; Rev. Mr. Whit- 
ney, of Petersham, the father of the candidate, preached from Mat- 
thew, xxviii. 19,20,; Rev. Mr. Parkman, of Westborough, made 
the consecrating prayer, and gave the charge ; Rev. Mr. Smith, of 
Marlborough, expressed the fellowship of the churches; and Rev. 
Mr. Bridge, of Chelmsford, made the concluding prayer. The 
other ministers on the ordaining council, were. Rev. Mr. Stone, of 
Southborough; Rev. Mr. Goss, of Bolton ; Rev. Mr. Morrell, of 
Wilmington; Rev. Mr. Davis, of Holden ; Rev. Mr. Woodward, of 
Weston ; Rev. Mr. Clark, of Lexington ; Rev. Mr. Sumner, of 
Shrewsbury; and Rev. Mr. Cummings, of Piillerica. 

The salary of Rev. Mr. Whitney was £G6 \3s. 4d. with a set- 
tlement of £160, lavvful money. 

Rev. Peter Whitney was the son of Rev. Aaron Whitney, the 
first minister of Petersham, was born Sept. 17, 1744. He was grad- 
uated at Harvard University, 1762, where he pursued his Theologi- 
cal studies preparatory to entering on the work of the ministr}'. 

Distinguished for the urbanity of his i^acners, easy and familiar 
in his intercourse with his people, hospitable to strangers, and al- 
ways ready to give a hearty welcome to his numerous friends; 
punctual to his engagements, observing an exact method in the dis- 
tribution of his time, having a time for every thing and doing every 
thing in its time, without hurry or confusion ; conscientious in the 

olutionary war ; Richard, who settled in Windsor, Conn. ; and Nathaniel, 
who removed to one of the Southern States. Widow Abigail Fay, is the 
daughter of John, abovenamed, and is now living in this place. 

*Mr. Whitney began to preach in Northborough, June 7, 1767, and gave 
his answer to settle the 12th of the following October- 



*• HISTORY OP NORTHBOROUGH. 51 

discharge of his duties as a christian minister, catholic in his prin- 
ciples and in his conduct, always taking an interest in whatever 
concerned the prosperit}' of the town and the interests of religion, 
he was, for many years, the happy minister of a kind and an affec* 
tionate people. At length, having continued in the work of the 
ministry almost half a century, he suddenly departed this life, Feb- 
ruary 29, 181G, in the 72d year of his age, and the 49th of his use- 
ful ministry.* 

Mr. Whitney was married to Miss Julia Lambert, of Reading, in 
this state, by whom he had ten children wlio lived to man's estate, 
eight of whom still survive. 

Mrs. Whitney survived her husband nearly five years, and died 
at Quincy, while on a visit to her children, Jan. 10, 1821, aged 79 
years. All who knew Madam Whitney will bear testimony to her 
worth ; and admit that she possessed, in no common measure, dig- 
nity of manners, sprightliness of mind, and goodness of heart. She 
was indeed a most pleasant companion and a most valuable friend. 

The writer of these sketches was the only candidate employed 
by their society after the death of his immediate predecessor ; and 
after a probation of about four months, was ordained their minister, 
Oct. 30, ISlG.t His salary is ^600 per annum. 

* Rev. Mr. Martyn left none of his writings in print. His successor made 
himself extensively known by his History of Worcester County ; a work high- 
ly valuable for the facts it ncords, many of which would probably have been 
lost, had they not, with great pains and fidelity, been collectevi and embodied 
in this work. It is a work, the value of which will not be diminished by the 
more minute histories now publishing in the Worcester Magazine and Histori- 
cal Journal. 

The other printed writings of Mr. Whitney, so far as they have come to 
my knowledge, are — 'I'wo Discourses, delivered July 4, 1774 ; a Sermon, de- 
livered at a Lecture, July 4, 1776, on publishing the Declaration of Indepen- 
dence ; a half Century Sermon, preached June 1, 1796 ; a Sermon at the or- 
dination of his son, Rev. Peter Whitney, of Quincy, February 5, 1800; a Ser- 
mon preached at Shrev/sbury, February 16, 181U, at the funeral of Mrs. Lucy 
Sumner, wife of the Rev. Joseph Sumner, 1). D. ; and a notice of a remarka- 
ble apple tree, in the first volume of the JWemoirs of the American Academy 
of Arts and Sciences. 

The publication of the History of Worcester County recommended the 
author to the notice oi the Massachusetts Historical Society, who elected him 
a member of that association. 

t The ordination services were performed by the following persons : — 
Rev. Mr. Whitney, of Quincy, made the Introduclory Prayer; Rev. Prof. 
Ware, of Harvard University, preached from Jer. xv. 19 ; Rev, Pres. Kirk- 
land, of H. U. made the Consecrating Prayer; Rev. Dr. Saunders, of Med- 
field, gave the charge ; Rev. John E. Abbott, of Salem, gave the Right hand 
of Fellowship ; lli.:v. Dr. Puffer, of Berlin, made the Concluding Prayer. Re- 
sides the above, the following Ministers were on the Council : Rev. Dr. Sum- 
ner, of Shrewsbury ; .Rev. Dr. Bancroft, of Worcester ; Rev. Dr. Thayer, of 

7 



52 X«STORy OF NORTHBOROUGH. 

It appears, therefore, that from the ordination of Rev. Mr. Mar^- 
tyn, in 1746, to the present time, a period of 80 years, this chris- 
tian society has been destitute of a settled minister only about 14 
months ; a fact highly creditable to the members of this society, as 
an evidence of their regard for the institutions of religion, and of 
the union and harmony which have long subsisted among them. 
And it may justly be considered, that the town is indebted to the 
spirit of union which has hitherto so generally prevailed among us, 
for the respectable rank which it now maintains. It would be easy, 
however painful, to predict the consequences of the prevalence of 
an opposite spirit. Large and opulent societies can bear to be re- 
duced by division. But in societies small as this, and whose re- 
sources are no greater than ours, union should be the watchword of 
all who wish well to the cause of human improvement. 

It is worthy of remark, that there has never been but one reli- 
gious society in this town, and that only a very few families have, 
at any time, withdrawn themselves from the Congregational socie- 
ty. Four or five families of the Baptist denomination usually at- 
tend public worship in the adjoining towns. The first person of 
this denomination in this town, was Thomas Billings, who joined 
the Baptist Society, in Leicester, in 1766. 

The increase of wealth and population, and a regard for the in- 
stitutions of religion, led the inhabitants of this town, in the spring 
and summer of 1808, to erect a uew and more spacious house for 
public worship. 

The new Church is 56 ft. square, with a projection of 34 ft. by 
15, surmounted by a tower, and cost, including the bell, ^11,408 04. 
The cost of the bell was <^5I0 00 ; its weight about 1200 lbs. 

The proportions of this building are much admired by persons 
of good taste ; and its location is such, that it appears to great ad- 
vantage from the main road. May it long stand ; and be to this So- 
ciety a bond of union, and the place whither they shall delight to 
bring their stated oflFerings of prayer and praise.* 

Lancaster ; Rev. Mr. Packard, of Marlborough ; Rev. Mr. Rockwood, of 
Westborough ; Rev. Mr. Cotton, of Boylston ; Rev. Mr; Frothingham, of 
Boston ; Rev. Mr. Ripley, of Waltham ; and Rev. Mr. Damon, of Lunenburg. 
Rev. J. Allen was born in Medfield, August 15, 1790, and was graduated at 
Harvard University, in 1811. 

* The committee for building the new meeting house consisted of the fol- 
lowing persons ; James Keyes, Esq. Stephen Williams, Esq. Isaac Davis, Esq. 
Hollon Maynard, Col. William Eager, Seth Grout, Esq. Asaph Rice, and. 
Phineas Davis, Esq. The business was committed lo a sub-committee, com- 
posed of three; S. Williams, Esq. .'\^saph Rice, and Phineas Davis, Esq. The 
house was built by Col. Eames, of Bucklaad, andCapt, Brooks, of Princeton. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 53 

lu the summer of 1822, a neat and handsome Town House was 
built, at the cost of about $1000, which is used for town meetings, 
singing schools, and various other purposes. 

This town has been peculiarly unfortunate in the destruction of 
buildings by lire. No fewer than ten dwelling houses, in this small 
town, seven of them large, two story buildings, have been burnt to 
the ground. Besides these, two school houses, one grist mill, one 
saw mill, and one shoe-makers's shop, have fallen a prey to the 
same devouring element. 

In respect to expenses incurred for the support of paupers, the 
town has for the most part been highly favored. Since the com- 
mencement of the present year, only two persons have been a town 
charge, the whole expense of maintaining whom, tor a year, is less 
than one hundred dollars. 

Some additional particulars relating to the ecclesiastical and se- 
cular affairs of this town, it may be proper to include in these his- 
torical sketches. Owing to the destruction of the church records, 
in the year 1780, when the dwelling house of Rev. Mr. Whitney, 
with most of its contents, was destroyed by fire, we have no means 
of ascertaining the number of baptisms and of persons, who joined 
the church, as well as many other particulars, which it might be in- 
teresting to know, of what took place previous to that date. We 
learn, however, from Rev. Mr. Parkman's account of Westborough, 
that, in 1767, the year of the Rev. Mr. Martyn's death, that the 
number of communicants was forty four, 21 males, and 23 females. 
The whole number of persons admitted into the church, during the 
ministry of Mr, Whitney, as nearly as can be ascertained, was 204. 
Since the death of Mr. Whitney, 54 have been added to the church, 
exclusive of such as have been received by recommendation from 
other churches. Besides these, 84 persons, during the ministry of 
Mr. Whitney, owned the baptismal covenant. 

The number of persons baptised, from 1780 to the time of Mr. 
Whitney's decease, was 661 ; from that period to the present, 132. 

From the gathering of this church, in 1746, to the present time, 
seven persons only have sustained the office of deacons, two of 
•whom yet survive. 

The two first deacons of this church were Jonathan Livermore 
and Matthias Rice. Deac. Livermore resigned, October 2d, 1782 ; 
died April 21, 1801, aged 100 years and 7 months. Deac. Rice 
died February 13, 1764, aged 58 years. Deac. Rice was succeed- 
ed by Paul Newton, who resigned May 8, 1795, and died May 18, 



54 HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 

1797, aged 79. Deac. Livermore was succeeded by Seth Rice, 
who resigned April 30, 1807, and died Jan. 2, 1815, aged 77. 
Deac. Newton was succeeded by Isaac Davis, who resigned Nov. 
18, 1825, and died April 27, 1826, aged 77. Deac. Rice was suc- 
ceeded by Nahum Fay, and Deac. Davis by Jonas Bartlett. Deac. 
Fay came into office June 14, 1807, and Deac. Bartlett, February 
26, 1826. 

The amount of the ages of the five deacons who have deceas- 
ed, is 392 years, the average of which exceeds 78 years. 

In giving the history of this town, it will be proper that we sub- 
join a brief notice of those persons who have distinguished them- 
'selvcs as its benefactors. It has already been mentioned that the 
land on which the meeting house stands, with the adjoining com- 
mon, was the donation of Capt. James Eager, of whom an account 
was given in a former part of these sketches. 

Mrs. Martyn, the mother of the Rev. John Martyn, at first, 
wholly supplied furniture for the communion table. Rabbi Judah 
Monis, formerly a Hebrew Instructer, in Harvard University, gave 
to this church a silver cup, also a large silver tankard, afterwards 
converted into two cups. Another silver cup was procured, with 
the joint legacies of Capt. J. Eager and Lieut. William Holloway. 
A silver tankard was given by Anna, relict of Deac. Matthias Rice. 
Another silver cup was given by Pelatiah Rice, and his son in law, 
Thaddeus Fay. Another by Capt. Gideon Tenny ; and recently, 
one by the late Deac. Isaac Davis. An elegant Folio Bible, in 2 
vols, for the use of the pulpit, was the generous donation of Jo- 
seph Foster, Esq. of Cambridge.* 

* Rabbi Jiulah Monis was a native of Italy, born in 1683 or 1684. Of 
his parentage, and of the oirciimstmcps which led him to emigrate to Ameri- 
ca, we have no account. He was employed as an instructer in the Hebrew 
language, in Harvard University, about the year 1720, before his conversion 
to Christianity. At length, he was led to receive Jesus Christ as the true 
Messiah : and, March ii?, 1722, was publicly baptised at Cambridge ; the 
Rev. Dr. Benjamin Colman, of Boston, preaching a discourse in the College 
Hall on the occasion, from John, v. 46. In the preface to this discourse, the 
author says, that " it was prepared in obedience to the desire of the very lley, 
Mr. LcA'erett, the present learned Head and President of the House where it 
■was delivered, in case of the absence of the aged and venerable Dr. Increase 
Mather," who, he adds, "if his years had permitted him, would have presid- 
ed and served on so great a solemnity."' " As to Mr. Monis himself," Dr. 
Colman writes, " it must be confessed that he seems a very valuable prose- 
lyte. He is truly read and learned in the Jewish Cabbala, and Rabbins, a 
Master and Critic in the Hebrew : He reads, speaks, writes, and interprets it 
with great readiness and accuracy, and is truly didakticlws, apt to teach. 
His diligence and industry, together with his ability, is manifest unto many 
who have seen his Grammar and Nomenclator, Hebrew and English ; as also 
liis Translation of the Creed and Lord's Prayer; the thirty nine articles of the 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGII. 5 J 

Appendix I. Containing' a list of persons who were heads ot 
families in this place heibre or soon afler it became a separate Pro- 
Church of England, and the Assfmhly's Fliortcr Catfchism into Ilfbrew ; and 
be is now translating^ th« larger Catechism." On the same occasion, Mr. 
Monis also delivered a discours"- from Vs. cxvi. 10, entitled " The Truth," 
which was printed, w.th a Preface written hy Dr. Increase Mather. Thi-s 
was followed soon afterwards hy two other discourses from the same text, the 
first entitled "The Whole Truth." the latter, "••Nothin": but the Truth." 
These tliree discourses, with that of Dr. Colman, were printed in Boston, for 
Daniel Henchman, and ''sold at his shoji, over against the old Brick Church, 
in Cornhill, 1722." 

Mr. Monis continued in his office as an Instructer in Hebrew forty years, 
till the infirmities of ag;e rendt-red him incapable of performing- its duties. 
After tlie death of his wife, in 1761, he left t ambridge and rt-raoved to North- 
borough to reside in the family of llev. Mr. Martyn, who had married a sister 
of his wife. Here he remained till the tmie of his death, which happened, 
April 25, 1764, at the age of 81 years. As he had no children, he bequeath- 
ed the principal part of his estate, which was considerable, to the family iu 
which he resided at his death. The sum of £46 13*. 4c?. was distributed 
among seven of the nei£:hboring ministers ; and about jj\26 was left as a fund, 
under the direction of a Board of Trustees, the interest of which was to be 
devoted to the relief of indigent widows of deceased clergymen. The Board 
of Trustees consists of the ministers of the following churches: The church 
in Northborouich ; the first church in Salem; first in Cambridge; the new 
north in Boston ; and the first church in Hingham. The fund now amounts 
to $400, the interest of which is distributed annually among four widows of 
deceased clergymen. 

The following is the insmplion 07i Mr. jyionis'' Grave JStonp. 

"herk lie buried the remains of 

RABBI JUDAH MONIS, 

Late Hebrew Instructer, 

At Harvard College, in Cambridge ; 

In which office he continued 40 years. 

He was by birth and religion a Jew, 

But embraced the Christian faith, 

And was publicly baptised 

At Cambridge, A. D. 1722, 

And departed this life 

(\pril 25th, 1764, 

Aged eighty one years, two months, 

and twenty one days. 

A native branch of Jacob see, 

Which once from off its olive broke ; 
Regratted from the living tree, Rom. xi. 17.24. 

Of the reviving sap partook. 

From teeming Zion's fertile womb, Isai. Ixvi 8. 

As dewy drops in early morn, I's. ex. 3. 

Or rising bodies from the tomb, John, v. 28. 29. 

At once be Lsrae^s nation born. Isai. Ixvi. 8." 

Lieut. Wm. HoUoway, of whose family an account has been given, was 
for many years, one of the leading characters in this town. He died Jan. 6, 
1760, aged 71. 

Deac. Matthias Rice was a grandson of Edward Rice, one of the origin- 



56 



HISTORY OF NOR'rHBOROUGH. 



cinct, In 1744. The second column contains the names of the per* 
sons who now live on or near the same house lots. 

Those to whose names this mark (t) is prefixed, have descend- 
ants of the same name now living in Northborough. 



John Brigham. 
Samuel Goodenow, 
Samuel Goodenow, Jun. 
David and Jonathan, sons of ^ 
Samuel Goodenow, Jnn. ^ 
Nathaniel Oakes, 
Simeon Howard, Sen. 
+ Gershom Fay, Sen. 
Thomas Ward, 
Oliver ? Ward, (1) 
Deac. Isaac Tomblin, 
Hezekiah Tomblin, 
Ephraim Beeman, 
Joseph Wheeler, 
Simon Rice, 
t Daniel Bartlett, (2) 



Mr. Holbrooks Saw Mill, 
Gill Bartlett. 

Deac. Jonas Bartlett, 

Gill Bartlett. 

Jacob Peirce. 

Near the Hearse House, 

Near Asa Fay's House. 

Asaph Rice. 

Jonathan Bartlett. 

Widow of the late Deac. Davis. 

On Tomblin Hill. 

Samuel Da.lryraple. 

On Ball's Hill. 

Near Ephraim Barnard's. 

Deac. Jonas Bartlett. 



None of the above, it is believed were heads of families in this town so 
late as 1744. 

The following are the names of the fifteen persons who paid 

the highest taxes in 1749, taken from the Town Record, Vol. I. p. 27. 

Stephen Williams, Esq. 

John Fisk. 

Do. 

Windsor Stratton. 

Ephraim Barnard. 



Lieut. Wm. Holloway, 
James Eager, Jun. 
Capt. James Eager, 
Deac. Matthias Rice, 
Peletiah Rice, 
Samuel Gamwell, 
t Jacob Rice, (3) 
t Jotham Bartlett, 
Timothy Fay, 
Josiah Bowker, 
t Jesse Brigham, (4) 
tBezaleel Eager, (5) 



Capt. Prentice Keyes. 
Asaph Rice, 
Gill Bartlett. 
Capt. Henry Hastings. 
Nathan Green. 
Henry Brigham. 
Col. Wm. Eager; 



al proprietors of Marlborough. He lived on the farm now owned by Jonah 
Brigham. He died without children, Feb. 3, 1764, aged 58. 

Peletiah Rice was a son of Peter Rice, of Marlborough, and lived on the 
farm now in the possession of Ephraim Barnard. He left no sons ; his two 
daughters. Thankful and Sarah, were married respectively, to Thaddeus and 
Adam Fay, sons of Gershom Fay. He died April 7, 1775, aged 81. 

Deac. Isaac Davis was born in Rutland, in this county. His father, Si- 
mon Davis, was a son of Simon Davis, who removed from Concord to Rutland. 
Rev. Joseph Davis, the first minister of Holden, was another son of Simon Da- 
vis, Sen. Deac. Davis removed to Northborough during the Revolutionary 
■war, and has been, for a long succession of years, one of our most distinguish- 
ed citizens. His first wife, the mother of his children, was a daughter of the 
late Dr. Samuel Brigham, of Marlborough, who was married to a daughter of 
Dr. Benjamin Gott, whose wife was Sarah, a daughter of Rev. Robert Breck, 
the second minister of Marlborough. Deac. Davis died April 27, 1826, aged 
77. During his last sickness, he directed his family to procure at his expense 
new linen for the Communion Table, a direction with which they cheerfully 
complied. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 



57 



Silas Fay, 
Thomas Billings, 
John Oakes, 

The following' twelve names 

tJames Ball, 
Cornet Simeon Howard, 
t Nathan Ball, 
t Josiah Rice, 
t Gershom Fay, 
t Samuel Allen, 
John McAllester, 
Deac. Jonas Livermone, 
Thomas Goodenow, 
Seth Hudson, 
George Oakes, 
t Seth Rice, Sen: 



Capt. Henry Hastings. 
Col. John Crawford. 
Joel Gassett. 

were added, in 1752. 
Edward B. Ball. 
Nahum Fay, Esq. 
Nathan Ball. 
William Maynard. 
Benjamin Rice. 
Samuel Allen. 
Hollon Maynard. 
David Dinsmore. 
Stephen Howe. 
Near Ephraim Barnard's. 
Luther Hawse. 
Calvin Hastings. 



To the above list the following 

John Martyn, Jun. 
Zephaniah Bviggs, 
t Deac. Paul Newton, 
t Col. Levi Brigham, (6) 
t Samuel Wood, Sen. (7) 
tThomas Warren, and his ) ^p,. 

son tEliphalet Warren, ) ^'^' 
Jonathan Hayward, and his 

son Gideon Hayward, 
'i'Jonathan Bruce, 
Joshua Townsend, 
t John Carruth, 
t William Babcock, 
Josiah Goddard, 
Solomon Goddard, 
Silas Rice, 

Samuel Gamwell, Jun. 
William Carruth, 
George Smith, 
Joshua Child, 
Warren, 
Capt. Timothy Brigham, 

now living, 



names may be subjoined. 
Benjamin Munroe. 
Capt. Joseph Davis: 
Martjn Newton. 
W'iuslow Brigham. 
Samuel Sever. _^__ 

Abel Warren. 

Lowell Holbrook. 

Samuel Dalrymple.. 
John F. Fay. 
Joseph Carruth. 
David Mahan. 
Silas Bailey. 
Jonas Babcock. 
Benjamin Flagg. 
Reuben Babcock. 
Daniel Smith. 
Do. 

On the South Road. 
Do. 

Oliver Eager. 



NOTES. 
Brief notices of several persons whose names are found in the foregoing list. 

1. Oliver ? Ward. I understand that a farmer of the name of Ward, 
was the first settler on the farm of Jonathan Bartlett, and I conclude that his 
name was Oliver from the circumstances that, in 1710, forty three acres of 
laud were laid out to Thomas and Oliver Ward " on Woody Hill, near the 
upper end of Cold Harbor, north side of the brook, next John Brigham's 
meadow." 

2. Daniel Bartlett, was a son of Henry Bartlett, who emigrated from 
Wales and settled in Marlborough, in the latter part of the seventeenth or 
beginning of the eighteenth Century. He Avas the common ancestor of all 
of that name in this town. His sons were Jotham, settled in this town, 
grandfather of Gill Baiftlett ; Daniel, settled in Rutland ; Jonathan, father of 



58 MISTOHY OF KORIHEOROLGH. 

Jotham and Jonathan, in this town ; John, in Piinceton; Isaac, in Holden ; 
and Jonas, father of Deac. Jonas B, in this town. A brother of Daniel set- 
tled in Western or Brookfield, probably the Beiijamiti Bartlett, whose daugh- 
ter Mary, born 1701, was the first child ijorn in Brookfield, whose birth was 
recorded. (1 Hist. Col. 1, 267.) 

3. Jacob Rice, son of Jacob Rice of Marlborough, first lived a little 
south of the dwelling house of Doct. Stephen Ball, afterwards removed to the 
house now owned by his grandson, Asaph Rice. lie was the father of John 
Rice, of Shrewsbury ; Jacob, minister of Brownfield, Maine ; and Amos, now 
living in this town. The brothers of Jacob wi re Amos and Obediah, of Brook- 
field, and Gershom, of Marlborough. Jacob luce died, July 29, 1788, aged 81. 

4. Capt. Jesse Brigham, son of Jonathan Bri^ham of Marlborough, was 
the father of Artemas, and Capt. Tim. Brigham, the latter of whom is now 
living in this town. Jesse BVigham died, Dec. 8, 1796, aged 87. 

5. Capt. Bezaleel Eager, came from Marlborough to the place where his 
grandson, Col. Wm, Ef ger now lives. Two brothers, Abraham and Capt. 
Benjamin Eager, came about the same time to Shrewsbury, and wf-re smong 
the first settlers of that town. Their father or grandfather was from Concord; 
Bezaleel Eager, died Oct. 31, 1787, aged 74. 

6. Col. Levi Brigham, son of David Brigham of Westboroiigh, was the 
father of the late Judge Brigham, and of Winslow Brigham now living in this 
town. Col. Brigham was chosen July 10, 1775, to represent this town in the 
Assembly to be convened at the meeting house in Watertown, the 19th of that 
month. He died Feb. 1, 1787, aged 71. 

7. Samuel Wood came from Sudbury, and set up the first fulling mill in this 
town. He was the father of the late Abraham and Capt. Samuel Wood, who 
lived together on the same farm now in the possession of Samuel Sever. 

8. Thomas Warren, from Watertown, was the father of Eliphaiet, who 
left many descendents in this town and in other places. 

Appendix II. Referring to page 134. The Grants for house 
lots were made 26th Novenober. 1660, and were in the following 
proportions. 





Acres. 




*Acres. 


Edmund Rice 


50 


Richard Ward 


18 


William Ward 


50 


John Woods 


30 


John R-uddcck 


50 


John Maynard 


23 


Thomas Goodenow 


32 


Pi ter King 


22 


Joseph Rice 


32 


Benjamin Rice 


24 


Samuel Rice 


21 


A ^Iinister 


30 


Christopher Bannister 


16 


Peter Bent 


30 


Tho'nas King 


39 


John Bellows 


20 


William Kerley 


30 


.Abraham How 


25 


Solomon Johnson 


30 


Thomas Goodenow J 


un. 20 


Richard Newton 


30 


John R utter 


30 


John Howe, Sen. 


30 


John Barrett 


18 


John Howe Jun. 


16 


John Rediat 


22 


Henry Kerley 


19i 


A Smith 


30 


Richard Barnes 


16 


Joseph Holmes 


18 


Thomas Rice 


35 


Samuel How 


16 


Andrew Belcher 


20 


Henry Axtell 


15 


Obadiah Ward 


21 


John Newton 


16 


Edward Rice 


35 


3iJ house lots, 


992^ acres. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGIT. 59 

NOTES. 
Brief notices of ?evcral persons whose names are found in the foregoing list. 

Edmund Rice was probably the father of Edmund Rice, one of the first 
settlers of Westborough, whose children Silas and Timothy were taken by the 
Indians and carried into captivity. If so, he was tiie great grandfather of the 
late Deac. Seth Rice of this town. lie was one of the selectmen of Marlbo- 
rough, in 1661. 

Wni. Ward was one of the first deacons of the Church at Marlborough, 
and had a house lot assigned him on the south side of th-e road opposite the 
Rev. Mr. Brimsraead's. He was one of the selectmen in 1661. He was the 
grandfather of the late Col. William Ward, of Sonthborough. He was proba- 
bly also an ancestor of the late Maj. Gen. Artemas Ward, of Shrewsbury. 
Tiiere were, however, three persons of the name of Ward, viz. William, Obe- 
diah, and Richard, to whom house lots in Marlborough were granted at this 
time, (1GC2.) From the following inscription on a grave stone in the old bu- 
rying ground in Marlborougli, it would appear that the person to whom it. 
belongs, was born before either of the New England colonies was planted. 
" Here lyes the body of Elizabeth Ward, the servant of the Lord, deceased in 
87 j'ear of her age, December the 9 in the year of our Lord 1700. 

John Ruddock, was one of the selectnten of Marlborough, also a recorder 
or clerk in 1661, and a deacon of the church in 1609. 

Of Thomas GooJenow, Richard Newton and John How, some account 
has already been given. Thomas Goodunow and John IIow, were selectmen 
in 1661, as also were Thomas King and Solomon Johnson, the latter of whom 
vas afterwards a deacon of the church. 

The name of Andrew Belcher, occurs in Dr. Holmes^ History of Cam- 
bridge, (1- Hist. Col. Vol. VH. 28, 34,) who quotes from the Town Records 
the foUowins;: " The townsmen granted liberty to Andrew Belcher, to sell 
beare and bread, for entertainment of strangers, and the good of ,the town." 
This was in 1652. Whether this is the same person whose name is found 
among the proprietors of Marlborough eight years afterwards, I am unable to 
say. A Capt. Andrew Belcher is said to have given to the first parish in 
Cambridge, the bell now in use, in the year 1700. I am informed too that 
the name of Andrew Belcher, Esq. frequently occurs in the records of the 
Gen. Court ; that he was for some years an assistant, a member of the King's 
Council, and often a member of the Legislature; and that, in 1609, he was 
a messenger to treat with the Indians at Albany, &;c. It is not improbable 
that he lived for a time at Marlborough, and that he afterwards returned to 
Cambridge, and sustained the several offices abovemetitioncd. 

Edward Rice was a deacon of the church in 1609 ; and was, as l\as been 
mentioned, the grandfather of the lafel)eat:. Matthias Rice, of Simon Rice, 
and of Jacob Rice, of this town. It is not improbable, taking into view the 
connexion between Sudbury and Concord, that the Richard Rice, who is 
mentioned as one of the first settlers of Coticord, in leSfj, (1. Hist. Col. Vol. 
1, 240.) was the common ancestor of all of that name in this part of the coun- 
try, and the person, who, as tradition says, left eight sons, who all lived to a 
very great ag'-. The Rice family has bfen remarkable for longevity.. 



liO HISTORY OF KORTHBOROUGU. 

Two of this name, Cyprian and EHsha Rice, who went from Marlborough, di- 
ed at BrookfieJd in 1788, the one in the 98th, and the other in the 99th year of 
his age. Hist. Col. 1. 273. 

Of the other persons mentioned in (he foregoing list, I have no account to 
|;ive. Maj. Peter Bulkley was mentioned, page 138, as one of the persons 
who assisted in procuring the Indian deed of Marlborough. This was un- 
doubtedly a son of Rev. Peter Bulkley, who was the first minister and one of 
the first settlers of Concord, then called Mnsketaquid. Rev. Mr. Bulkley, 
had a number of children who were much distinguished in their day. One of 
his sons, Gershom, was married to a daughter of President Chauncey, and was 
the father of John Bulkley, minister of Colchester, Conn. 

Maj. Peter Bulkley, was in 1678-9, an agent for the Corporation of the 
Massachusetts Bay,respecting the Narrhagansett country, (1 Hist. Col. V. 221) 
and in the first year of James II. was appointed by the King's comaiission, one 
of the Council, of which Joseph Dudley, Esq. was President. 1. Hist. V. 
245. 

It appears from the State Records, that a grant of 1000 acres of land in 
the Nipmug or Kittituck country, was made to Maj. Bulkley, by the General 
Court, for some service he had performed for the public. 

Appendix III. 

Ministers of Marlborough. — Rev. William Brimsmead, the first 
minister of Murlborough, was a native of Dorchester, a member of 
the class that graduated at Harvard College, in 1648, but who left 
with several others in the preceding year, without a degree, in con- 
sequence of dissatisfaction with the regulation then introduced of 
requiring a residence of four years instead of three. He was em- 
ployed as a preacher, at Marlborough, as early as IGGO ; was after- 
wards, in 1665, after several months probation, invited to settle in 
Plymouth, with an offer of £70 salary and firewood, which he de- 
clined, and vvas ordained at Marlborough, October 3d, 1666. 

.John Cotton, Esq. of Plymouth, in his history of that town, 
(1760) speaUs of him as "a well acomplished servant of Christ." 

He preached the Election Sermon, 1681, on .ler. 6. 8. which 
was printed. His salary in Marlborough was from 40 to JG45 per 
annum. 

It appears from the following record that he was unable to sup- 
ply the pulpit during the latter part of his life. "May 6, 1700. 
Voted, to send to Cambridge ibr a candidate for the ministry.'" 

"July 12. Voted unanimously, by church and town, to invite 
Mr. Swift to help with our present pastor, if God shall raise him up.*"' 

At the same time a committee was chosen " to procure a place 
to remove their minister to, and to provide him a nurse." (Mr. 
Brimsmead had no family of his own to provide for him, having 
never been married.) 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGH. 61 

"December 16, 1700, a committee was chosen to treat our Rev. 
pastor, with reference to the arrears yet in his account that con- 
cern the town, and to bring an account of all that is behind, trom 
the beginning of the world to the end of November, 1699." 

Mr. Swift having negatived the call, Mr. Joseph Morse was in- 
vited to settle as colleague with Mr. Brimsmead. Rev. Mr. Brims- 
mead died on Commencement morning, July 3d, 1701, and was bu- 
ried in " the old grave yard,"* where a large unlettered stone was 
erected to his memory, which still remains, and is almost the only 
memorial that remains of " this venerable servant of Jesus Christ."t 
Soon after the death of Mr. Brimsmead, Mr. John Emerson, after- 
wards settled in Portsmouth, N. H.J vvas invited to be the minister 
of Marlborough, but declined the invitation. 

At length, after a long controversy respecting Mr. Emerson, 
which was carried on with a good deal of asperity, June 1st, 1704, 
Mr. Robert Breck, son of Capt. John Breck, of Dorchester, gradu- 
ated at Harvard College, in 1700, received an invitation to take 
the pastoral cliarga of the society, which he accepted, and was or- 
dained, October 24th, 1704. 

Rev. Mr. Breck remained pastor of the church at Marlborough 

* The following inscription is placed over the remains of the first peraou 
■who was buried in the old burying ground in Marlborough. 

" Capt. Edward Hutchinson aged 67 years, was shot by treacherous In- 
dians, August 2d, 1675, died, August 19th, 1075." 

Capt. Edward Hutchinson was mortally wounded by the Indians, Au- 
gust 2d, at a place called xVIeniminiisset, about four or five niijes from Quabo- 
ag (Brookfield) to which place he had been sent with twenty horsemen by 
the Governor and Council, for the purpose of conciliating the INipmucks, ro 
many of whom he was personally known. It appears that they conducted 
themselves towards him with the basest treachery. The Sachems had sig- 
nified their readiness to treat with the English, but it must be with Capt. 
Hutchinson himself. Having been conducted by a treacherous guide to the 
place where two or three hundred of the Indians lay in ambush, they sud- 
denly issued from a swamp, fell upon Capt. Hutchinson, and his unsuspecting 
associates, shot dovv^n eight of the company, and mortally wounded three more, 
among whom was Capt. H. himself. Capt. Hutchinson was a son of the cel- 
ebrated Mrs. Ann Hutchinson, who occupies so conspicuous a place in the 
early history of New England. He was also the great grandfather of Thomas 
Hutcliinson, Governor of the Massachusetts colony and the historian of Mas.- 
sachusetts. Savage's Winthrop, 1. 249. 

tllev. Mr. Brimsmead's house stood in a lot of land on the west side ol 
Ockoocangansett hill, adjoining to said hill. Tradition says, that he uniform- 
ly refused baptism to children who were born on the Sabbath. 

:{:Rev. John Emerson was first (1703) ordained as pastor of the church at 
Newcastle, New Hampshire, dismissed in 1712, and installed pastor of the 
South Parish in Portsmouth, March 23d, 1715, died .hme 21st, 1732, aged 62. 
Mr. Emerson was a native of Ipswich and was graduated ai Harvard Univer- 
sity, in UJfif. 1. Hist. Col. X, 53. 

/ 



O* HlSTORy OF NOKTHBOROUGH. 

twenty seven years, and died, January ti, 1731, in.the midst of his 
days and usefulness, at the age of forty nine years, universally la- 
mented. 

A handsome monument was erected to his memory, near that 
of his predecessor, containing the following inscription in Latin, to 
which we subjoin, at the request of many, a translation into English. 

INSCRIPTION. 

Reliquiae terrestres theologi vere venerandi Roberti Breck sub 
hoc tumulo conferuntur. Pars Cd-'lestis ad coelum myriadum ange- 
lorum et ad spiritus justorum qui perfecti sunt abiit. 

Ingenii penetrantis, quoad vires naturales, vir fuit amplissimae 
mentis et judi::ii solidi, una cmn animi fortitudine singular). Quo- 
ad partes acquisitas spectat, in Unguis quae doctjc praesertim (^audi- 
imt ?) admodum peritus ; literarura politarum mensura parum com- 
muni instructus ; et, quod aliis fuit difficile, ille, virtute ingenii pro- 
prii et studiis coarctis, folicitersubegit. In omnibus Theologiae par- 
tibus versatissimus, et vere orthodoxus, Scriba ad regnum ccelo- 
rum usquequaque inslitutus. Officio pastorali in ecclesia Marlbur- 
iensi, ubi Spiritus Sanctus ilium constituit episcopum, per XXVII 
•innos, lideliter, sedulo, pacitice, multaque cum laude, functus est. 

Doctrinae Kevelatse, una cuoi cultu etregimine in EcclesiisNov- 
Anglicanis instituto, asSertor habilis et strenuus. Ad consilia danda 
in rebus arduis, turn publicis turn privatis, integritate conspectus et 
prudentia jnstructissimus. Sincere dilexit amicos, patriam, et uni- 
versam Christi ecclesiam. 

» Denique pietatis, omnis virtutis socialis, et quoad res terrenas 
moderaminis, exemplar. 

In doloribus asperis aegritudlnis ultimae patientia ejus opus per- 
fectum habuit ; et, si non ovans, expectans tamen et placide disces- 
sit. Natus Decem.'^ 7 "'° 1682. 

Denatus Januar. 6 '° 1731. 
Prophetae ipsi non in seculum vivunt. 

TRANSLATION OF THE ABOVE. 

Beneath this stone are deposited the mortal remains of the tru- 
ly reverend Robert Breck. His immortal part hath ascended to 
heaven to join the innumerable company of angels and the spirits 
of the just made perfect. 

He was by nature a man of acute intellect, capacious mind and 
solid judgment, together with singular mental resolution. As to his 
attainments, he was eminently skilled in the learned languages, fa- 
miliar beyond the common measure with polite literature ; and, 



HISTORY OF ^'OKTHBOROUGH. 6^ 

what to others was difficult, he by the powers ot" hi3 mind, and close 
application to study, accomplis^hed with ease. 

Thoroughly versed in every department of theology, and truly 
orthodox in sentiment, he was a scribe in every respect instructed 
auto the kingdom of heaven. 

The duties of the pastoral office in the church at Marlborough, 
over which the Holy Ghost had made him overseer, he discharged 
faithfully and assiduously, in peace and with great reputation, for 
twenty seven years. 

He was a skilful and able asserter of the doctrines of revelation 
and of the worship and discipline of the New England Churches. 

He was a counsellor in cases of difliculty, both [uiblic and pri- 
vate, of distinguished uprightness and consummate prudence. 

He was a sincere lover of his friends, his country, and the whole 
Church of Christ. 

In a word, he was a model of piety, of every social virtue, and 
of moderation in regard to earthly things. 

In the severe pains of his last sickness, his patience had its per- 
fect work; and his departure, if not in triumph, was full of hope 
and peace. Born Dec. 7th, 1682 — Died Jan. Gth, 1731. 

" Even the prophets do not live forever." 

Rev. Robert Breck was regarded as one of the eminent minis- 
ters of his day. He preached the Election Sermon in 1728, from 
Deut. V. 29, which was printed. Another of his printed sermons, 
which is still in existence, was preached in Shrewsbury, on the 15th 
of June, 1720, and was the lirst sermon preached in that town.* 
His only other publications, so far as they have come to our knowl- 
edge, were two excellent sermons, addressed particularly to young 
persons, and vvhich were preached to his people in 1 728, on occa- 
sion of a large accession to his church of about fifty persons. The 
former is on the danger of religious declension, trom Luke ix. 61, 
62 : the latter was preparatory to the observance of the Lord'.s 
Supper, from Leviticus, x. 3. 

Three funeral discourses preached at Marlborough, on occasion 
of his death, one by Rev. John Swift of Framingham, another by 
Rev. John Prentice, of Lancaster, and the third by Rev. Israel Lor- 
ing of Sudbury, v.ere published, and are now extant. 

It appears, from a note to Mr. Prentice's discourse, that during 

* See the history of Shrewsbury, iu the May Number of this Journal, p. 
16, by Andrew U. Ward, Esq. 

I am informed by Rev. Wm. B. Spra°fue, of West Springfield, that he has 
in his posseFEion a copyoftbi^? discourse. 



C4 msToay of noiMuboroui,}!. 

the sickness of" Mr. Breck, October 15, 1730, a day of tasting' 
nnd praj'er was kept in Marlborough for his recovery ; " several of 
the neighboring ministers being present and assisting on that sol- 
emn occasion." 

A respectful and able notice of Rev. Robert Breck was given 
in the \VeekIy Journal, No. CC. for .Jan, IC, 17J1, wiiich is sub- 
joined to the discourse of Mr. Prentice ; and another well written 
memoir was published in the Boston Weekly News Letter, No. 
1408, for Jan. 21, 1731, which forms an appendix to Rev. Mr. Lor- 
ing"'s discourse. 

" His temper was grave and thoughtful, and yet cheerful at 
times, especially with his friends and acquaintance ; and his conver- 
sation entertaining and agreeable. 

" In his conduct, he was prudent and careful of his character, 
both as a minister and a christian ; rather sparing of speech, and 
more inclined to hear and learn from others. 

" His house was open to strangers, and his heart to his friends; 
and he took great delight in entertaining such, as he might any 
ways improve by, and treated them with good manners. 

" The languishment and pains he went through before his death 
were very great; but God enabled him to bear the affliction with 
patience and submission. 

" He was interred on the 12th willi great respect and lamenta- 
tion, and his affectionate people were at the ciiarge of his funeral; 
and it is hoped they will continue their kindness to the sorrowful 
widow and orphans.'"'' ^ 

Rev. Robert Breck had a son of the same name, who was grad- 
uated at Harvard University, in 1730, was ordained as minister of 
Springfield, Jan. 26, 1736, and died April 23, 1784, in the 7l3tyear 
of his age.t 

The father was married in Sept. 1707, to Bliss Elizabeth Wain- 
wright, of Haverhill, who died, June 8, 1736. They had six chil- 
dren, two of whom died before their father. Of those that surviv- 
ed him, Robert was minister of Springfield; Sarah was married to 
Dr. Benjamin Gott, of Marlborough ; Hannah was married to Rev. 
Ebenezer Parkman, of Westborough ; Elizabeth, the eldest daugh- 
ter, was married to Col. Abraham Williams, of Marlborough, and 

* Rev. Mr. Breck lived on or near the same spot on which Rev. Mr. Pack- 
ard's dwelling house was afterwards erected. 

t See Rev. Win. B. Sprag-ue's Historical Discourse, delivered at West 
Springfield, Dec. Q, 1824, p. 78, 80. 



HISTORY OF NORTHBOROUGII. 65 

♦iieil two years before hor fiilhcr, Jan. 1729. The name of the olh- 
nr child that survived tlio father was Samuel, who was a surgeon 
in the army during the French war. He married at Springfiehi, 
and died, 1764. 

The following account of the successors of Rev. Mr. Breck, was fur- 
nished principally by Rev. Seth Alden, of Marlborough. 

After an interval of nearly three years from the death of Mr. 
Rrcck, viz. Oct. 1733, Rev. Uenjamin Kent was ordained as the 
minister of Marlborougii, and on Feb. 4, 1735, was dismissed by 
mutual consent. After his dismission, Mr. Kent brought an action 
against the town for the recovery of his settlement, which the 
court allowed him. The town appears to have suffered much 
about this time from intestine divisions, which prevented the set- 
tlement of a minister for the five years succeeding the dismission 
of Mr. Kent. 

At length, June 11, 1740, Rev. Aaron Smith received ordina- 
tion, and was dismissed by reason of ill heath, April 29, 1778. Af- 
ter his dismission. Mr. Smith went to reside with Rev. Mr. Bridge 
of East Sudbury, who married his daughter, and died there. 

Rev. Asa Packard, from Bridgewater, succeeded him, and was 
ordained, March 23, 1785, and April 10, 1806, was dismissed, in 
consequence of an unhappy division in the town relating to the lo- 
cation of a new church. This division led to an Ecclesiastical 
Council called by the Church, which resulted, Oct. 24, 1806, that 
in case the minority should obtain an act of incorporation as a dis- 
tinct society, then, without breach of covenant, those members 
of the church who should unite themselves with such Incorpora- 
tion, might become a 'regular and distinct church, by the name 
of the West Church in Marlborough. 

After much opposition, such inhabitants did obtain an act of in- 
corporation on the 23d of Feb. 1808, by the name of the second 
parish in Marlborough ; and on the 5th of the following month, a 
church was duly ordained. Over this church and society, Rev. 
Asa Packard was installed, March 23, 1808, and remained their 
Pastor till May 12, 1819, when, by mutual consent, he was regu- 
larly dismissed. Mr. Packard now resides with his family in Lan- 
caster. 

Rev. Seth Alden, from Bridgewater, a graduate of Brown Uni- 
versity, 1814, was ordained as the successor of Mr. Packard, Nov. 
3, 1819, and still remains their Pastor. 

Over the East Church and first parish, Kev. Sylvester F. Buck- 



G6 mSTORY OF NOliTHBORCUGH. 

lin, from Relioboth, now Seekonk, a graduate of Brown University, 
1805, their present Pastor, was ordyined, Nov. 2, 1808. 

Besides the two Congregational Societies above mentioned, 
there is a society of Universalists in the town, without a stated 
Pastor, and a small society of Methodists. The person at present 
preaching with the former is Massena B. Ballon ; with the latter, 
Jari;d liaskins. 



The preceding sketches have been made Tip from materials col- 
lected from various sources. The aged fathers of this and some 
of the neighboring towns have been consulted as opportunity offer- 
ed ; and several of the descendants of the early settlers of Marl- 
])oroi]gh, have kindly furnished many valuable papers relating to 
the events of former days, and which have been handed down from 
father to son, for three or four successive generations. The writ- 
er would particularly acknowledge his obligations to Rev. Messrs. 
Bucklin and Alden, for the aid they have rendered him ; as also to 
Mr. Silas Gates for the use of the copious and very valuable records 
in his possession, inherited through his wife (daughter of the late 
George Williams) from her grandfather Col. Abraham VVilliams, 
who, for many yea{;s, was the clerk of the proprietors of the En- 
glish Plantation of Marlborough. 

The writer has also had opportunit3'^ to consult the books of 
records of the proprietors of the Indian Plantation, now in the pos- 
session of Mr. John Weeks. 

He has aimed at accuracy ; but fears, where so much rests on 
mere tradition, or memory not less treacherous, that many errors 
besides those of the press, have become incorporated in the his- 
tory. For these he craves the indulgence of his readers. 



ERRATA. 

Pag;e 1 1, end of first paragraph — The new irieeting house was erected in 
1805, the old one taken down in 1809 : page 15, 22d line from top, for Doches- 
f(^r read Dorchester ; page 25, 20th line from top, for Asa Goodenow read 
Thomas Goodenow ; page 26, 9th line, for Fond read Road ; page 27, 1st 
line, for Rlarlborough read Northborough ; on the same page, the 2d para- 
graph of the note should be in the place of the first, and for Simon read Sime- 
on ; page 23, 1st line of the note, for persons read garrison ; page 39, in 4th 
line of 2d note, for Simeon read Simon ; page 43, in 3d note, read, James and 
John Eager were sons, and Cutler and Martyn sons-iu-Iaw of John Eager, Jr. 
and grandsons of Capt. John Eager. 



